While tech analysts and fans are excited about the potential that home automation brings, most consumers aren’t yet feeling the vibe.
Sure, products like Amazon.com Inc.’s (AMZN) Echo device and the imminent arrival of Google Home from Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) have generated a lot of press and excitement, but the kinds of products they control haven’t taken off. Sales of connected light bulbs, for example, have been disappointing.
It’s a classic case of technological “pre-adoption” – i.e., the idea has been conceived, it’s viable, and it’s gradually pushing its way into the market, but mass adoption is some way off yet.
Within the “connected home,” many home automation devices and products can be expensive and the benefits fairly small. I mean, if you’re running a nightclub in your basement, you might want expensive connected lights that can set a variety of different moods at the touch of a button. But most of us just want to turn the lights on and off – and there’s a cheap switch right on the wall to do exactly that!
