{"id":176,"date":"2026-11-01T18:02:52","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T18:02:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/?p=176"},"modified":"2026-11-01T18:02:52","modified_gmt":"2026-11-01T18:02:52","slug":"content-insider-979-pressure-point","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/?p=176","title":{"rendered":"Content Insider #979 \u2013 Pressure Point"},"content":{"rendered":"

Smart Homes Come with Challenges, Cautions<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Andy Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n

andy@markencom.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Source \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>\u201c<\/strong><\/em>BigBug,<\/strong><\/em>\u201d<\/strong><\/em> Netflix<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

If it works, we'll have succeeded. If it doesn't, we'll have made an error. <\/em>So,<\/em> we'll have succeeded, because "to err is human! <\/em>\u2013 <\/strong>\u201c<\/strong>BigBug,<\/strong>\u201d<\/strong> Netflix, 2022<\/strong><\/p>\n

Slept through our alarm wake-up the other morning, missed spin class at the club but made it up by extending our daily workout the rest of the week by 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

Wife said it was our body telling us it needed to rest\/recuperate, but we think we were just lazy.<\/p>\n

Sure, we could have had one of those smart clocks that nudges you or one of those smart beds that shakes the h*** out of you until you\u2019re thrown out of bed.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s a hard and very broad line we draw on how much smart home technology and AI tracking\/learning stuff we\u2019re going to use to make our lives better, easier, more fulfilling.<\/p>\n

Talk till you\u2019re blue in the face but you will never<\/strong><\/em> convince us that we simply can\u2019t live\/ without\u2026 \u201c<\/em>A smart home is a household <\/em>of <\/em>network-integrated technolog<\/em>ies<\/em>\/services for a better standard of living and assists users in reducing their workload.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Seriously, not even the copywriter who created that believes it!<\/p>\n

We understand the industry explanation that smart home technology encompasses energy management, security and accessibility to manage your home\u2019s temperature, lighting, entertainment, sleep, daily bodily functions so you\u2019re free to do\u2026something.<\/p>\n

We have yet to figure out what.<\/p>\n

And lest we forget, all of those network-integrated devices, systems and services include and center around your computer, big beautiful flatscreen and phone.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0FreePix<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

What they don\u2019t bother telling you is that in addition to \u201chelping\u201d you, they\u2019re constantly scraping information about your household and personal activities\/movements\/habits so the device manufacturer\/service provider can have a continuing revenue stream.<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, we\u2019re pretty sure they\u2019ll recommend you upgrade things in the house as well as sell your data to others for them to use.<\/p>\n

If the smart home technology company is really smart\/creative, it also \u201crents\u201d the apps that make the stuff work, so you always have the most advanced features\/capabilities.<\/p>\n

In other instances, they simply quit supporting the free <\/strong><\/em>apps after a while because they\u2019ve moved on and so should you. <\/p>\n

Now none of this is illegal because well, you signed up to take advantage of all those advanced features, capabilities when you sped right through the user agreement, checked the box and said that\u2019s cool\u2026gimme, gimme, gimme.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Parks Associates<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

It all started innocently enough when you signed up for your cable, FTTH and\/or wireless internet service that connected you to the online world and like the Red Bull energy drink\u2026gave you wings.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Statista<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Steady Growth \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>The demand for smart home technology \u2013 entertainment, security, energy savings and convenience \u2013 continues to be strong in SEA, the Americas and the EU.<\/em><\/p>\n

With smart home devices\/systems so overpowering, it\u2019s no wonder the market racked up over $100B in sales this past year and is projected to grow to at least $240B plus by 2032.<\/p>\n

The idea of having your home loaded with smart devices, services, things that protect and serve you is so overwhelming it\u2019s a global phenomenon.<\/p>\n

Of course, it all starts innocently enough because everyone wants one of those big, beautiful and downright inexpensive huge screens we saw at CES the first of the year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Samsung<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Yes, those AI-enabled Mini-LED and OLED TVs you drooled over last year were impressive but the new Micro RGBs we saw in January at CES took performance and viewing quality to a whole new level.<\/p>\n

Even smaller, more enhanced RGB mini-LEDs improved contrast, enriched color volume and produced picture quality that is unbelievable.<\/p>\n

And the neat thing is they are remarkably inexpensive–cheap even.<\/p>\n

No Samsung, LG, Hisense, Sony, TCL, Panasonic and others didn\u2019t skimp on anything with the new 55 \u2013 65-inch and larger flatscreens to make them more affordable.<\/p>\n

In fact, they made them more appealing with simplified connection to your internet service and have increasingly popular AI capabilities built into their ACR (automatic content recognition) features that simplify the task of finding the shows\/movies you want to watch even when you don\u2019t even know you want to watch them. <\/p>\n

In addition to streamlining your connectivity and reducing the frustration of finding something to watch, ACR also benefits the TV maker by making it fast, easy (and profitable) for them to collect and use your viewer data to make ads that aren\u2019t quite so jarring and are more focused on reaching folks who are interested in the product\/service.<\/p>\n

Signing up for the ACR service is easy. <\/p>\n

Just one click, done and done.<\/p>\n

Of course, if you\u2019re not interested in giving them a constant revenue stream, that\u2019s a little more difficult.<\/p>\n

You have to go through a confusing set of menus just to say, \u201cNope, no way.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Fortunately, a lot of online folks (rebels?) have studied the problem in detail and offer free ways to disable the ACR \u201cfeature\u201d — check out this guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Wikipedia<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Common Language \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>Now that smart home products, services and applications speak a common language, they have become increasingly popular because of the increased ease of integration and use. <\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s pretty logical for your TV and smartphone to be the hub of your smart home since they\u2019re the gathering point in your house\/life.<\/p>\n

The biggest hurdle in the past was the challenge of ensuring all of your smart devices and capabilities talked to each other.<\/p>\n

In the early days of smart home devices, every manufacturer developed its own unique and \u201cbetter\u201d connectivity solution. <\/p>\n

That was great if you filled your home with a single manufacturer\u2019s products\/services or wanted to rely on a smart home integrator to solve everything.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Connectivity Standards Alliance<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

In a rare move to work together for the common good, hundreds of companies in the Connectivity Standards Alliance established a single Matter-certified ecosystem protocol to ensure devices and applications would natively work with any\/all complaint controllers, devices and applications.<\/p>\n

Interoperability standards like Matter have been crucial in overcoming the compatibility hurdles that have enhanced the user interest\/experience and were massive boosts to increase sales across the board.<\/p>\n

Google, Amazon and Apple have implemented Matter-certified advanced AI models that allow you to use conversational and natural language voice control with the various devices and products around the house.<\/p>\n

Problem solved! <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0HootSuite<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The interest in smart home technologies and devices has been worldwide thanks to AI integration, rising smartphone penetration with security, energy management, entertainment and health\/wellness being the leading product segments.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Strategy Analytics<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Dominating \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>Thanks to manufacturers making smart TVs fast, easy-to-install and use, they have quickly taken over the home screen market and offer makers something they want\/need\u2026a steady revenue stream. <\/em><\/p>\n

More than 50 percent of today\u2019s connected homes have a smart TV with voice assistant integration.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s estimated that 84 percent of the smart home users in the US control their devices by voice assistants and mobile apps.<\/p>\n

This is followed by smart speakers in popularity.<\/p>\n

Many households stop there according to a report from smart home\/security service provider Vivint. 53 percent of their respondents feel the smart home is still too expensive even though 55 percent of them plan to buy one or two more smart devices over the next 12 months. <\/p>\n

Ease of use and actual day-to-day use of smart home systems are still major impediments.<\/p>\n

Twenty percent of the respondents said there were simply too many smart home special application apps, but they would be making their purchases in select areas where they could see real and\/or perceived benefits.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Advanced Television<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Cautious Optimism \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>Households around the globe want more than single home solutions, they are searching for a set of services, products and capabilities that economically meet their needs– especially when budgets are tight.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s high cost-of-living has placed a heavy burden on household budgets and made consumers lower their interest in inflexible bundles. It also reduced the selective purchase of smart home devices where there was a tangible benefit\/value and increased folks\u2019 peace of mind. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Lux Researach<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

For example, we really enjoyed our smart Nest thermostat when it was first installed.<\/p>\n

It was really neat to come home from a trip or with everyone away from the house for the day to know the temperature was down while we were gone \u2013 saving electricity \u2013 and having a house that had just recently been warmed to the temperature our wife preferred (she likes it cooler than we do).<\/p>\n

It was nice to know we weren\u2019t wasting our heating budget; yet when we got home, it was comfortable. <\/p>\n

Of course, then Goole ended support for the earlier models which meant an end to our app connectivity, remote control and smart features.<\/p>\n

Naturally, they had a solution to the issue\u2026buy the newest unit and BAM!!<\/strong><\/em> problem solved and life would return to \u201cnormal.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a smart home solution we had become accustomed to but since it still functioned like an old manual thermostat\u2026we adjusted.<\/p>\n

Yep, we\u2019re back to the \u201cold\u201d way of manually controlling the heat\u2026 it\u2019s not all that bad.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Wipro Lighting<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Lighting Up \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>Lighting control, sensor, bulb and application producers are all trying to encourage homeowners to take advantage of today\u2019s\/tomorrow\u2019s smart lighting technology\/solutions.<\/em><\/p>\n

The idea of converting all of our home\u2019s lights to smart lights \u2013 bulbs, switches, app\/voice control, dimming and color changes – always seemed \u201ccute\u201d but\u2026<\/p>\n

Sure, it\u2019s convenient to have the lights come on\/go off automatically when you enter\/leave a room, but we already have a voice activated control, especially when no one is in the room.<\/p>\n

With a sixth sense our wife will very gently remind us to \u201c<\/em>S<\/em>hut the light off and quit wasting energy<\/em>!<\/em>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It works almost 100 percent of the time.<\/p>\n

The idea of dimming lights or changing colors to change the mood is cute but after all these years of marriage, we know it\u2019s going to take more than a lighting change to change the mood. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Adobe Stock<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Even though we live in a relatively quiet (safe) neighborhood, we\u2019ve always been concerned about the safety\/security of our home and family.<\/p>\n

The dizzying array of home security HD cameras, advanced sensors, doorbells, locks, sirens and remote-control security devices\/applications is almost overwhelming. <\/p>\n

We took the easy route \u2013 a security service that set-up and monitors everything 24×7 and neighbors who always check on each other. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Netflix<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Just don\u2019t think we need another camera looking over our shoulder or following what we\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n

After all, living in the US it\u2019s estimated that you\u2019re captured on a camera up to 200 times a day.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a Londoner, your image is captured about 300 times a day.<\/p>\n

If you live in or visit a major city in China\u2026don\u2019t think about it too much.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0BI Intelligence<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Concern at Home \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>While homeowners want the features, capabilities and services that smart home devices provide, they are also concerned about data breaches and data theft.<\/em><\/p>\n

The biggest concern people have today isn\u2019t how and if the smart technology is going to make life easier, better for them but what happens if\/when cyberthieves use new, powerful and insidiously creative AI-powered prompt ware.<\/p>\n

Yes, every smart home device\/service manufacturer boasts about their robust security, but hackers\/whackers work real hard to develop creative solutions that will infiltrate the home network, steal personal\/family data and even hijack devices.<\/p>\n

If your smart home folks don\u2019t offer an aggressive program of security updates, it might be wise to keep looking before you buy because hackers love to prowl the internet testing for home\/device vulnerabilities including advanced capabilities that allow them to trick devices\/services to reveal data and bypass traditional security.<\/p>\n

Of course, you know the solution\u2026strong passwords, WPA3 encryption and regular firmware updates.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re real paranoid or security conscious, you might want to disable \u2013 tape over – your big screen\u2019s camera and disable the microphone and voice controls when they\u2019re not being used.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Informed Purchases \u2013 <\/strong><\/em>It probably goes without saying but the sweet spot for smart home device sales is the younger crowds who have grown up with and are comfortable with today\u2019s advanced technology. But they are not impulse purchases because they want key questions answered before they buy.<\/em><\/p>\n

Of course, little things like home\/personal security aren\u2019t going to slow the sale of smart home devices, especially among the younger generation. <\/p>\n

Consumers\u2019 interest in energy efficiency, security and convenience continues to expand.<\/p>\n

The major push with AI integration, increased internet access and lower sensor costs will only make people become comfortable with the more advanced interoperability standards, features and capabilities.<\/p>\n

After all, people \u2013 young and old \u2013 are increasingly comfortable with internet anywhere, anytime and using their smartphone for everything so the idea of controlling your thermostat, controlling your home lighting and checking your security cameras is increasingly too good to pass up.<\/p>\n

And as companies like Samsung, LG, Panasonic and others say\u2026but wait, there\u2019s more.<\/p>\n

Yeah, refrigerators that monitor the stuff they\u2019re holding and even order more when it\u2019s used or has gone bad, dishwashers that automatically sense when dishes need to be washed, stoves that sense what you\u2019re cooking and monitors it to ensure it\u2019s done just right and let\u2019s not forget the recently reintroduced Roomba robotic vacuum that cleans up after you.<\/p>\n

While some folks (primarily manufacturers and over-enthusiastic industry analysts) like to say it won\u2019t be long before smart home technology will be an integral part of our lives, we don\u2019t think we\u2019ll jump into the deep end for a while.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Source\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Netflix<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve barely learned how to live with\/manage our smartphone, smart TV, smart speakers and garage door opener.<\/p>\n

The idea of adding more smart home tools\/services\/products to do stuff before we realize\/care if it\u2019s done just doesn\u2019t work for us right now.<\/p>\n

And we certainly won\u2019t be an early adopter because we know how that works out.<\/p>\n

Suddenly, we just know Monique in BigBug<\/strong><\/em> will nicely tell us, \u201cTo reinitialize, press one. To make a complaint, press two. To reach technical advice, press three.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Thanks, but we\u2019ll check our refrigerator\/pantry ourselves, pick up what we need, wash our own dishes\/clothes and clean up after ourselves.<\/p>\n

It will give us something to do now that AI is busy reducing our workload.<\/p>\n

# # #<\/p>\n

Andy Marken \u2013 andy@markencom.com<\/a> – is an author of more than 900 articles on management, marketing, communications, industry trends in media & entertainment, consumer electronics, software and applications. He is an internationally recognized marketing\/communications consultant with a broad range of technical and industry expertise–especially in storage, storage management and film\/video production fields. He also has an extended range of relationships with business, industry trade press, online media and industry analysts\/consultants.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Smart Homes Come with Challenges, Cautions By Andy Marken andy@markencom.com Source \u2013 \u201cBigBug,\u201d Netflix If it works, we'll have succeeded. If it doesn't, we'll have<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":156,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,7],"tags":[38,36,39,35,40,33],"class_list":["post-176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech-news","category-technology","tag-ai-integration","tag-consumer-electronics","tag-cybersecurity","tag-data-privacy","tag-iot-devices","tag-smart-home-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=176"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":177,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176\/revisions\/177"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theusdaily.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}