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Dry goods! Made 8 years old smart home integration old gun sharing
I'm a smart home system integrator based in Suzhou City, representing two or three undisclosed brands. With over eight years of experience in the field, I consider myself an expert in this industry. Recently, a friend who rarely contacts me shared his frustrating experience as a smart home integrator that lasted more than half a year. In short, he lost everything, and the brand he represented didn’t offer any support.
When he first started, he didn’t openly promote himself as a smart home agent, probably to avoid competing with me. However, this might have been a sign of his own narrow-mindedness.
Over the past year, I've noticed that many people entering the smart home business are not well-informed, often acting blindly. As someone with eight years of experience in integration, I feel it's important to share some insights from my perspective.
**Is the hardware developed independently?**
Smart home is all about hardware. While developing a smart home product may seem simple—many students can build a circuit board—the real challenge lies in testing and mass production. For a product to be stable, user-friendly, and reliable under large-scale use, lab development isn't enough.
Therefore, a strong smart home company must have the capability to design, develop, and manufacture its own hardware. However, in my experience, no company in the smart home industry has 100% self-developed products. Most rely on third-party solutions or OEMs.
Core products like smart hubs, switches, and control panels should be developed internally. Otherwise, they're just using generic industry solutions. Very few companies have true R&D capabilities, and most only handle mold-making and assembly.
In addition to R&D, the completeness of a company’s product lineup is also crucial. Few companies can offer a full range of smart home products.
The smart home industry has one of the broadest technology spans. From my understanding, a company aiming for independent R&D should have at least 25% of its staff dedicated to R&D, with some requiring 40% or even more.
**APP Experience Matters**
Everyone uses universal apps, but in smart homes, the app plays a vital role. It's the interface users interact with daily, so a poor app experience can ruin the whole system.
There are three types of smart home apps: fully self-developed, semi-outsourced, and rebranded public versions. According to some estimates, over 60% of smart home apps are public versions, more than 30% are outsourced, and less than 10% are truly self-developed.
If a company doesn't develop its own app, updates may be infrequent—sometimes only once every 18 months. Even if the app is functional, the user experience might still fall short. Some apps update monthly, but their performance is far from ideal.
From my experience, very few Chinese smart home apps match the quality of general-purpose apps. Foreign brands, on the other hand, often prioritize international markets and aren't always optimized for local use.
**Does the Brand Have Influence?**
Brand recognition in the smart home space is often misleading. Many companies claim to represent big names, but these can be deceptive. My friend's loss was partly due to choosing a brand that seemed reputable but offered little real value.
What defines a smart home brand? Foreign brands used to dominate, but now they’re not the main players anymore. High prices and limited market appeal make them less attractive. Big tech companies like BAT, Huawei, and JD.com have entered the space, but they don’t focus exclusively on smart homes.
Local brands may lack strong visibility. To gauge influence, look at media coverage, investor interest, and whether developers actually use their products. If a brand isn’t frequently mentioned in the press, it likely lacks real traction.
**Product Design Is Key**
In the past, smart homes relied heavily on aesthetics, but today, functionality is more important. The design of products still matters, especially when it comes to user perception. People want products that look good and fit seamlessly into their homes.
While not everyone prioritizes appearance, those who can afford smart home systems tend to care about style. Some local companies have made great efforts in product design, considering installation details like placement and height.
From the exhibitions I’ve attended, smart home industrial design has improved, but widespread market recognition is still a long way off.
**Can the Service Deliver?**
Service is often an illusion. Contracts may promise support, but in practice, it’s another story. A company’s commitment to smart homes can be judged by how much it focuses on the business. Companies like Haikang and Dahua have smart home divisions, but they’re not their core businesses.
Professionalism is also critical. Many smart home companies outsource their service teams, leaving agents to deal with issues alone. Some companies provide basic materials, while others go further, offering tools like PRM systems to help dealers present proposals and budgets clearly.
**Wired or Wireless?**
Whether wired or wireless shouldn’t be a major issue. Initially, smart homes were wired, but around 2013, the trend shifted toward wireless technology. Wired systems remain, but they’re expensive and not in line with current trends.
Many integrators struggled with wired systems because customers weren’t interested, and inventory couldn’t move. While wired systems won’t disappear immediately, they may soon become obsolete as the industry moves toward wireless solutions.
In conclusion, the smart home market is evolving rapidly. Success depends on strong R&D, solid app experiences, real brand value, thoughtful design, and reliable service. Whether wired or wireless, the future belongs to flexible, user-friendly, and well-supported systems.