Today we look at security cameras and connected lights to learn the simple lesson that companies need to make trade-offs in developing products for the Connected Intelligence era.
Over the years, I’ve used connected security cameras from Ring, Nest, and Arlo. Each of these companies has made decisions. Those decisions involve trade-offs. They’ve had to make compromises to bring their products to market. In this article I look specifically at two decisions each has had to make: battery power vs. AC power, and subscription plan options.
Connected lighting is another space where I’ve seen meaningful compromises and trade-offs. At VisuALS Technology Solutions, as we focused on restoring independence, dignity, and hope for those with debilitating conditions, we studied various options for enabling those we serve to be able turn lights on and off in their homes. In this article I look specifically at the decisions smart lighting companies have had to make about whether or not to require a hub, and whether to make the light bulb smart or rather to make the switch or outlet smart.
There is a way around these compromises. Arlo has done so in the camera space and Philips has done so in the lighting space. They have been able to largely overcome the compromises caused by these trade-off decisions by expanding their product line to cover all of these options. This optionality, however, translates into complexity for the consumer as he seeks to figure out how to capture the power of the Connected Intelligence Revolution in his own home.
In other words, sometimes overcoming tradeoffs merely introduces another tradeoff. Welcome to the revolution!