Future is here: Smart homes to be reality by 2015

UAE residents can start converting their living rooms, bedrooms and even their entire residence into smart homes starting 2015.

UAE telecom operators, etisalat and du, are launching various platforms which will enable a subscriber to not only control their lights and washing machines and music systems but customize the entire space including the walls, curtains, the flooring, etc.

You wake up in the morning and the glass panel covering the entire wall will display a background image of a warm sunrise at a beach, complete with sound effects of waves hitting the shore. The lighting in the room will get transformed to reflect the mood.

Want to watch a movie? Just sit in front of your TV and switch on the set and the sensors will automatically detect that you want to watch a movie or a TV show and the curtains will get drawn, the lights will go dim, and the audio system will automatically change its settings.

There are number of options and customisations that can be controlled by a custom-made application either on your smartphone or tablet.

Both UAE telecom operators, etisalat and du are gearing up to roll out the facility in the coming months.

Du, meanwhile announced that it has tied up with the Hong Kong-based PCCW to offer Smart Home services across the UAE.

The announcement was made during Gitex Technology Week 2014 and the services will start rolling out starting early 2015.

The video below demonstrates the smart home you could be living in if you subscribe to the du service.

 

The second part of the video also displays du’s new customized TV interface for subscribers of its internet and TV services.

Du is also introducing a new custom UI with multiple user accounts where a user can experience various content in a customized way. An XBMC type of service, it will enable a user to progrmme their favourite channels across various categories, missed programmes, live updates of schedules, etc. The programme will be part of its smart home solution.

Du’s smart home solution with PCCW Global will focus on five key elements - home networking, including Wi-Fi and cloud services; home automation and control, including home appliance connectivity; home entertainment, including AV and TV services; surveillance and monitoring, including home security, intercom, home monitoring and cameras; and Do It Yourself Retail, including value added services, devices, gadgets and consoles.

The pricing strategy for the home automation is yet to be determined. Du believes that it is expecting a 30 per cent increase in revenue through the new service.

According to GSMA, the Middle East is the second fastest growing region for M2M connections in the world and the number of M2M connections is expected to reach a quarter of a billion this year, with China at the forefront of this growth with 50 million connections.

Grand View Research indicates that the value of the global Smart Home market was US$13.07 billion in 2013.  With a compounded annual growth rate of 20.3 percent, it is projected to reach $47.61 billion by 2020.

Etisalat, meanwhile, also showcased its range of home network solutions at Gitex. It is set to make a major announcement soon on rolling out the service in the UAE.

It is also tying up with various key stakeholders with this regard.

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