A recent survey by IHS Markit of consumers in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Brazil reveals only 6 percent of consumers used a smart speaker to control other connected devices in their homes. “Controlling smart home devices by voice currently represents only a small fraction of total smart-speaker interactions,” said Blake Kozak, principal analyst, smart home, IHS Markit. “However, this category will continue to trend upward as more video-streaming devices come to rely on voice control, as security alarm systems adopt voice control to arm and disarm, and as more builders embed smart devices throughout new homes.”

More than 900 smart home device makers

Globally, there were more than 900 smart home device makers offering about 4,100 connected devices at the start of 2018, IHS Markit says. Although hubs and smartphones have traditionally been the lynchpins of the smart home, voice control via smart speakers will soon eclipse these methods. “While devices like thermostats, connected appliances and door locks are important in their own rights, smart speakers will ultimately be the primary disruptor for smart home deployments, and the means by which consumers interact with all other devices,” Kozak said.

Video content, home audio and adjacent segments to fuel penetration

“Despite the low use of smart speakers with other connected devices, it is only a matter of time before more connected devices permeate homes and voice assistants become the primary means of
interaction,” Kozak said. “Additional penetration of connected devices will be driven by streaming devices, such as the new Fire TV Cube, and other agnostic speakers, like the Sonos Beam.”

“To increase the number of consumers using smart speakers to control connected devices in the home, voice assistants will need to follow a path similar to the one taken by the Amazon Echo Plus, which comes with the ability to directly control low-power wireless devices, such as switches and plugs connected to Zigbee and Z-Wave,” Kozak said.

Insurance companies will also play a role in educating consumers about connected devices. Although the insurance industry will mostly focus on water leak detection, IHS Markit estimates that by the end of 2018, more than 1 million home policies across North America will include at least one connected home device – most likely water-leak sensors, flow detectors or shutoff valves. Moreover, there will be about 450,000 smart speakers connected to insurance companies by end of this year.

“What has made the smart home market unique, and why continued growth is inevitable, has been the continued resourcefulness around strategic inflection points,” Kozak said. “When it appears smart home growth could be stalling, new device makers inject optimism. At the same time vertical markets, like the insurance industry, are modifying decades-old practices, to bring smart home technologies to the masses.”

IHS Markit conducted the survey in March and April of 2018, asking respondents how they used smart speakers. The survey was fielded in the US, UK, Japan, Germany and Brazil and included 937 smart speaker owners.

AMSTERDAM, 12 JULY 2018: Integrated Systems Events, the producers of the Integrated Systems Europe exhibition, has announced that its 2021 edition will be held at Gran Via, part of the Fira de Barcelona exhibition complex in Spain on 2-5 February. The new venue will become the permanent location for the world’s largest AV and systems integration show.

The decision to relocate the ISE exhibition comes after 18 months of research into the viability of remaining at the RAI Amsterdam. With annual growth in ISE exhibitors and attendees approaching 10%, and the international AV market forecast to grow by 5% per annum through to 2021, it was concluded that ISE was outgrowing its popular Amsterdam location.

ISE 2018 attracted 80,923 attendees, of which 22,000 were visiting the show for the first time while 1,296 exhibitors filled 53,000 net sqm of floor space in 15 halls. ISE 2019 is expected to increase on these record breaking figures.

Mike Blackman, Managing Director Integrated Systems Events, commented: “The RAI and Amsterdam have provided a fantastic location, been great partners and contributed to the success of the show. But, demand from exhibitors, and the continued increase in the numbers of attendees, showed us that limited floor space was in danger of putting a brake on the show’s development. In spite of all our best efforts this was not an issue we felt could be solved by staying at the RAI Amsterdam.

“We conducted extensive exhibitor and attendee research and visited many major exhibition centres in Europe before making this important decision. By announcing our move to one of Europe’s largest and most prestigious convention complexes, we can now continue to focus on creating a unique experience for everyone and confidently plan for long-term development. At the same time, we will ensure that the remaining two editions of ISE at the RAI Amsterdam are the best in its illustrious history and a fitting way to bring our 14-year relationship with the venue and city to a close.”

The Fira de Barcelona is one of Europe’s most prestigious convention and conference locations. The complex has two exhibition venues and hosts 140 international trade shows each year, featuring over 30,000 exhibitors and attracting over two million attendees. In total it has over 400,000 sqm of floor space and 14 halls.

Gran Via is one of Europe’s largest and most modern exhibition venues. It blends outstanding architecture with exceptional functionality across 8 halls and 200,000 sqm of exhibition floor space. It also offers unparalleled visitor flow and state-of-the art services and logistics. It is conveniently placed for access to the nearby international airport and public transport.

ISE’s co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA are keen to highlight the positive benefits of the decision to relocate.

David Labuskes, AVIXA CEO, commented: “Our thinking in coming to this decision has been driven by our desire to serve and deliver value for our members, attendees and exhibitors at ISE. We can better achieve these objectives in a venue that can evolve with us and continue to reflect the market we work in. The continued success of ISE and the growth anticipated in the AV business meant that we knew this decision would need to be taken before too long. I’m delighted that we were able make that decision now so as to control events and to ensure that a smooth transition is possible.”

Tabatha O’Connor, CEDIA Global President and CEO, commented: “Not only is the new venue a state of the art home for our show but the city of Barcelona is one of Europe’s most vibrant and exciting. It’s the perfect choice for an exhibition and growing industry that engenders creativity and commerce.”

Fira is one of the Europe’s leading trade fair organisations and is closely linked to the Barcelona brand, a city with over a century of trade fair tradition. Its annual economic contribution to the city of Barcelona and its surroundings is estimated at over €2,600 million. Fira is a consortium comprising the Barcelona City Council, the Catalan Generalitat and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, which combines public ownership with autonomous company management.

Both, the ISE 2019 and 2020 editions will take place at the RAI Amsterdam and are forecast to be the largest and most successful in the show’s 16-year history.

Further information on the move to Barcelona for exhibitors and attendees will be available from a live webcast, hosted on the ISE website (www.iseurope.org) at 13:00 CET on Thursday 19th July. Join us to find out more about ISE’s exciting plans for future growth.