It is interesting (to me at least) to compare prognostications by pundits in this newsgroup to those of professional market research. For a mere $4200, one can purchase the research report by ABIresearch. on Home Automation and Control
As an unrepentant DIYer who has attended CEDIA conventions and who subscribes to variety of industry rags, I agree with ABIresearch's characterization of the industry/market/effort as "Two Ends of a Spectrum: CEDIA and the DIY Crowd".
The land grab for the middle has been predicted for years. This research is in that vein ("poised to make home automation and control a mainstream phenomenon.").
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Ten Mass Market Applications for Emerging Wireless and Powerline Technologies
For nearly 30 years, home automation and control systems have been relegated to the status of niche technologies enjoyed only by those wealthy enough to have expensive custom systems installed, or those with a hobbyist?s interest in technical DIY projects. The vast mainstream market has largely been left untapped. However, with the relatively recent introduction of new technologies, such as Z-Wave, ZigBee, and INSTEON, and with the drive to establish interoperability in use of these technologies, a host of new vendors has entered the market, targeting mainstream households. This report examines the technologies, companies, and market forces that are poised to make home automation and control a mainstream phenomenon.
What Does This Report Answer? How has the home automation and control market evolved to its present state? What are the catalysts moving home automation and control from a niche market to a mainstream opportunity? How will RF-based products fare against powerline-based products as the market evolves? How will standalone subsystems (e.g. lighting control) intersect with whole-home automation systems? What factors are most likely to generate customer demand for home automation and control products and overcome the perennial challenge of ?educating the consumer? about the existence and benefits of home automation and control? Which of the ten major home automation and control application segments will see the most market traction over the next five years? What roles are new channel partners playing in the adoption of home automation and control technology?
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+++++++++++++... Marc Marc_F_Hult