Home automation will boom, claims Unipalm
Distributor urges resellers to move into the emerging market before it takes off
The home-automation market is set to reach the masses, and VARs should get on board now before the market becomes commoditised, specialist distributor Unipalm has claimed.
John Turner, head of multimedia networking at Unipalm, said: “Home automation is an emerging market. The UK is probably 18 months behind
the US in terms of adoption. It’s all about IT and audiovisual (AV) integration and we are starting to educate resellers about it.
“At a recent training session we held, the IT resellers were asking how to do some of the AV stuff, while the AV guys were asking how to do IT stuff. I think we might see some collaboration between AV and IT VARs.”
At its simplest, home automation involves controlling a light or appliance with the same remote used to control the TV. But it can also involve a completely automated system that controls entertainment, heating, broadband, lighting and security from one or many types of digital computer control devices and panels.
Unipalm has just signed up home automation software vendor Con-vergeX. It believes ConvergeX is the first company to have a complete home automation offering.
Under the agreement, Unipalm will provide specialist services that enable resellers to become authorised ConvergeX suppliers, able to provide installation, training and services.
Jostein Svendsen, chief executive of ConvergeX, said: “Resellers that understand both IT and AV will do well in home automation, as will those with data networking skills.”
Rob Bamforth, principal analyst at Quocirca, said: “Home automation has been around for a few years but things have happened to make it accessible to the average person, not just the mega-rich.”
James Turner, sales assistant at home automation reseller Audio-vision, told CRN: “We got into the home automation space five years
ago. Most people are asking for systems now. It’s definitely starting to take off.”