The explosion of the smart home market is an unstoppable trend. This trend was evident at this year's International CES. “Prices have fallen, and market education has improved significantly,” said Chang. In the early days, the smart home concept was relatively new, and market education was a barrier toward mass adoption.
The explosion of the smart home market is an unstoppable trend. This trend was evident at this year's International CES. “Prices have fallen, and market education has improved significantly,” said Chang. In the early days, the smart home concept was relatively new, and market education was a barrier toward mass adoption. It was difficult to provide a scenario that end-users can relate to. Many consumers didn't understand how different parts of the home could interact, not to mention envision the benefits of that interaction.
“New business models have also proven to be effective. You don't need a hefty upfront investment or a professional installer anymore. Telcos and cable companies offer tiered services that consumers can pick and choose from—whether they need home security, energy efficiency or home care,” Chang said.
In Europe, which is Everspring's strongest market, Chang works with Telcos to expand the market; in the US market, leading market channels and brands are Everspring's main partners. When comparing the US and European markets, Chang observed that the US smart home market is still ahead of the rest of the world by three years, exemplified by the wide availability of DIY products. In contrast, the European market is dominated by Telcos, but Chang believes the European market is catching up fast.
Every market is slightly different, Chang said. “The smart home market is highly dependent on customization. End-users in the U.S. and Europe have different requirements. The governments also have different regulations. Solutions and products need to be able to cater to these different needs.”
When asked how Everspring caters to these various needs, Chang answered, “We not only have experience providing home security services directly to end users, we have also learned a lot by collaborating with system integrators around the world. We have a deep understanding of international markets, which we have gained through working with partners in more than 30 countries.”
Partnerships and interoperability are vital
“I believe our transition to service provider will fuel our growth in the coming years. By service, I mean providing services that increase operational efficiency or open up new opportunities for vendors,” Chang said. “Take laundry machines—wouldn't it be nice if vendors could be reminded when a customer's warranty is up so they can offer additional maintenance services or extended warranties? If the laundry machine also sent data on common malfunctions, energy usage and user behavior, vendors could manage their stock more efficiently, or even recommend more suitable models. We want to provide those solutions to our partners.”
However, “it's impossible for us to make everything on our own, which is why our partners are so important to us. From elevators to home appliances, there are lots of signals that can be sent to our backbone, opening up opportunities for integration and automation,” explained Chang. “For the smart home concept to become a reality, we think it's essential for providers across different industries to work together.”
Everspring is the first smart home solution provider in Taiwan to adopt international open standards. “Aside from our own proprietary protocols, Everspring also develops products that use open protocols like Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, DECT and more. As the market continues to mature, the importance of interoperability will push the adoption of open protocols and adopting industry standards. We think we're setting an example for other players in the industry by demonstrating the benefits of this approach.”
All coming from sensors
Sensors and detectors may seem simple and basic, but Chang's proud of Eversprings accomplishments in these technologies . Chang believes that Everspring's 30 years of experience in developing sensors is the foundation of their smart home initiative. “Since the whole smart home concept is founded on accurate, reliable sensors, we believe our experience in sensors is a unique advantage compared to other solution providers. And it becomes even more evident as the demand grows for wireless and multipurpose sensors.”
Chang gave the example, “While many of our competitors are content to simply have products that work, we strive to meet the specific specs that our partners require—when our partners need 100m transmission, that's exactly what we give them. This is something that cannot be mastered in a short period of time.” By developing and implementing RF technology for more than two decades, Everspring continues to improve existing products and expand its patent portfolio.
“We're proud of our accomplishments in the sensor market, and even prouder that our partners can provide products and solutions to their customers without worrying about this key component,” Chang continued. “Another thing we're proud of is how we've enriched people's lives. Sensor lighting, for example, was invented by Everspring; people all around the world continue to benefit from this technology.”
Happiness Industry: Safer, Greener and Smarter
Everspring was founded on the philosophy that products must serve people. Staying true to its motto of “Safer, Greener and Smarter,” Everspring's solutions extend this philosophy to homes, which themselves are the extension of people. We want to build a "happiness industry," where products and solutions enrich people's lives by solving actual, existing problems or by improving their homes in ways they have not even imagined yet."
While positioning itself differently in different regions—a smart home solution provider in western markets and a smart home service provider in Asia—Everspring is looking to establish strategic alliances with partners coming from construction, telecommunication, professional security services and system integration to form its vision of a “happiness industry.”
Related article
Everspring(1-1): 30 Years of Everspring