With homeowners’ growing reliance on smart home automation technology, it’s easy to forget just how new the modern industry really is. Certainly, many ground-breaking technologies and products debuted before 2010, but most people think of the innovations of just the past decade. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Smart plugs

In the early part of the decade, many stand-alone smart home products entered the market. Smart plugs from tech manufacturers such as Belkin were some of the earliest to appear. These devices were aimed at automating simple, repetitive tasks routinely performed by so-called “dumb” appliances. By simply plugging your existing small appliances or lamps into a smart plug, you could control the devices remotely or by simple automation routines through IFTTT. 

Home security systems

The earliest SimpliSafe DIY home security system was introduced in 2008, but it would take until 2013 for a true all-in-one smart home security system to be available. Crowd-funded on Indiegogo, Piper was the first system to include a siren, video camera, motion and two-way audio capabilities, temperature, humidity and light sensors. After two rounds of acquisitions, Piper products were discontinued, but the stage was set for more DIY smart home security systems to flood the market.

Today, there are nearly unlimited ways to configure a smart security system. Cameras are better and cheaper than ever, with more capabilities; sensors integrate with more systems and provide more information than legacy versions; and notifications and triggered actions are wide-ranging.

Smart locks

Now a subsidiary of the same mega-corporation that owns Yale locks, a company named August debuted a unique concept in smart locks in 2013: retrofitting your existing deadbolt. Controlled via a simple app, it was an elegant early solution. August has since expanded into the ballooning smart doorbell space.

Now, of course, every major lock company has smart lock solutions to fit every homeowner’s needs. Some are more user-friendly and integrated than others, but all offer the same advantages of increased security, decreased need to carry more keys, and the ability to change entry codes and permissions as needed.

Smart home hubs

Similar to the Piper security system mentioned above, Samsung’s SmartThings hub was created in 2012 and crowd-funded on Kickstarter. Samsung acquired SmartThings in 2014, the same year that Amazon introduced the Amazon Echo to Prime members. Smart hubs were set to take center stage in home automation.

In 2019, you can purchase any number of smart home automation hubs and systems, controlled via apps using your smart phone or voice commands. Smart home hubs create integration throughout your smart systems, for instance, linking your security, lighting, and pool systems for easy one-stop control without logging into many different apps.

Environment controls

Perhaps the most cost-saving device a homeowner can install is a smart thermostat. Although there were earlier app-controlled thermostats, Nest introduced the first beautifully-designed smart thermostat in 2011. Continuing the trend of acquisition, Google acquired Nest in 2014 and Nest continues to make beautiful and functional smart thermostats that work with Google Assistant. However, they are now in a very crowded marketplace.

The scores of smart thermostats now available have a dizzying array of features and can be controlled through ever-increasing methods. Smart thermostats remain a proven smart option.

All these innovations bring more choices to homeowners, but the booming market in smart devices can also bring confusion over what is the best solution for each individual situation. Zeus Integrated Systems helps homeowners in the greater New York City and Miami regions step into the convenience and safety of smart home living using tried-and-true planning and implementation strategies.

Ready to get started? Call us today: (800) 878-9705