With the Internet of Things (IoT) becoming more and more prevalent in our society, it won’t be long before everything we have is somehow connected to each other. We can do so much more than text marketing with our smartphones. It is very convenient to be able to control things in our lives from them. We can view our security systems, change the temperature in our house, start our cars, and check our current heart rates. We aren’t that far away from having fully functioning smarthome capabilities, and new things are coming out every day. The question is, which manufacturer will win the race to smarthome?
Amazon’s access
The Amazon Echo has been around longer than the other home assistants, and has a a lot more accessibility for users. With 250 devices compatible with it, it is definitely the leader in the smarthome market. However, it does have some problems with security. Because it only takes 10 days for the approval process to get set up with their devices, there are definitely security flaws that might make you less interested in using the Amazon Echo. It works very well for now, but both Google and Amazon have a lot more potential for growth.
How does Google compare?
Google is the newest addition to the smarthome market and offers a cool virtual assistant that is always on to answer all your questions. While it does have some devices it can connect with such as the Nest system, SmartThings, and more, it cannot do other basic things such as create notifications for you. While it seems like there is a steep learning curve to the Google Home, it will likely increase the number of connectable devices quickly. Many people already have their lives connected with Google devices and products that it just makes sense to stick with Google Home. It will eventually learn to do everything you want it to do even if other products on the market are currently beating them.
Apple’s slow race
One thing is clear, Apple is taking the slow and steady approach. Apple currently only has about 100 devices that work with its HomeKit smart access. Just like you would expect from the large tech company, they won’t let just anyone run through their smarthome. They require strict testing of the device, which could take from 3 to 5 months. They want to be sure the device will work smoothly with their system and there aren’t any bugs. But compared to Amazon’s 250 devices that are compatible, it is quite a bit further behind. Fortunately for Apple, they have plenty of customers who are loyal to them regardless of their capabilities.
So who is winning?
Overall, Amazon Echo is definitely winning at the moment because it does have such a huge edge over the other manufacturers. However, Google and Apple aren’t far behind. Google definitely has the greatest growth potential and will ultimately be at the top of the race neck in neck with Apple. You can’t beat Apple’s built-in fanbase and ability to keep their devices extremely secure.
