With the growing number of smart devices, such as virtual assistants, toys, watches, and alarm systems, fears around cybersecurity have been heightened. Therefore, in a bid to stop any potential large-scale breaches, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) worked together to introduce a new Code of Practice for internet of things (IoT) security. The first companies to sign up to implementing the code are HP and British Gas owner Centrica.

“From smartwatches to children’s toys, internet-connected devices have positively impacted our lives but it is crucial they have the best possible security to keep us safe from invasions of privacy or cyberattacks,” said Minister for Digital Margot James. “The UK is taking the lead globally on product safety and shifting the burden away from consumers having to secure their devices.

“The pledges by HP Inc. and Centrica Hive Ltd are a welcome first step but it is vital other manufacturers follow their lead to ensure strong security measures are built into everyday technology from the moment it is designed.”

The new code, which is part of the government’s £1.9bn National Cyber Security Strategy, sets out thirteen guidelines that manufacturers of consumer IoT devices should implement in order to keep users of their products safe. Guidelines include the secure storage of personal data, regular software updates, no default passwords, and making easier for users to delete their personal data off products, among others.

In order to help manufacturers to implement the guidelines and follow in HP and Centrica’s footsteps, the government has also published a mapping document to ease them through the process.

“Cyber-crime has become an industry and IoT ‘endpoint’ devices increasingly constitute the frontline of cybersecurity. At HP, we are reinventing the state of the art in device security to address modern threats,” said George Brasher, UK managing director at HP. “We are delighted to be joining forces with the UK Government in our shared ambition to raise the bar broadly in consumer IoT device security, starting with the connected printers we are all used to at home.”

Seb Chakraborty, CTO at Centrica Hive, added: “Meeting the privacy and data protection expectations of our valued customers is a priority.

“We invest heavily in the security of our products and we are delighted to support government in this global step forward, building strong security measures into devices at the point of design.”

Alongside the Code of Practice, the government has also worked with the NCSC, as well as consumer groups and the industry, to develop guidance for consumers regarding smart devices in their homes.

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Mobile no longer just means your smartphone and tablet; it encompasses everything from your smart TV to your automated home, from your connected car to intelligent billboards. In this new age of connectivity, there are more channels than ever before to reach consumers, and more data available that can help marketers refine their targeting, improve their performance and ensure they are reaching customers with the right message at the right time and in the right place. Our Connected Consumer Summit aimed to explain this brave new world, and allowed brand marketers to put their questions to a wide variety of experts.

If you werent able to make it to the Summit, you missed out on some fantastic guidance from leading industry figures, but you can still access some of the gems of wisdom here, with our top 10 quotes from the day.

“eCommerce going forward should be included and analysed as part of the connected home environment. It can easily be bundled by a utility provider or by a telecom provider as part of their connected home solutions.”
Archana Vidyasekar, global research manager, Frost & Sullivan

Our day was kicked off by Archana Vidyasekar of Frost & Sullivan, who provided us with a comprehensive overview of the rise of the connected consumer, detailing how advances in the smart home, business and city were changing consumer behaviour. You can read more about Archanas presentation here.

“We dont just need the tools and intelligence to do this, but also the creativity and imagination to use it wisely.”
Kenny Davies, lead technical analyst, DigitasLBi

Data was a big focus of the day, with the growth of connected devices meaning that marketers have more access that ever before to crucial granular-level data on consumers. Kenny Davies from DigitasLBi spoke about how brands can use individual-level data from a wide variety of sources to inform and personalise their messaging.

“If you told a traditional department store search engine youre going to a wedding, it might offer you a wedding dress. But youre not getting married, youre attending a wedding. A cognitive system will know to take you to formal wear.”
Tony Maile, European retail leader, IBM

The rise of AI, both in the form of back-end automation and consumer-facing interactions, was the focus for the presentation by IBMs Tony Maile, who detailed how different brands have used the tech giants Watson platform to create intelligent, cognitive systems that learn from consumer behaviour and offer the next level of automated interaction.

“Im not sure I want my personal habits paraded in front of everyone in a store. I think people will make mistakes when it comes to over-personalisation, and well end up going back to the personal devices we currently have, the phone.”
David Morris, director of solutions consulting, EMEA, Tealium

During our afternoon panel debate, David Morris of Tealium spoke about the dangers the new connected world poses when it comes to creepy levels of marketing that make consumers feel tracked and observed at every point. Brands need to be cautious about how they deploy the data they can harvest from new channels, and whether super-personalisation is always the right choice.

“Theres so much data available – its all about building up profiles and finding ways to use that in a meaningful way.”
Rob Jones, client services director, Code ComputerLove

Rob Jones from Code ComputerLove walked us through a detailed case study from the companys work with home improvement brand Hillarys, exploring how data can be used at every step of the customer journey, and how even in the new connected age, theres no substitute for understanding the product youre selling, the customers youre targeting and the business youre working with.

“The consumer needs to be taken on a journey. Theres still a big education and awareness job to do. At the same time, were moving away from product and rational-based communications, and in the consideration phase were focusing on emotion and story-telling.”
Katherine Walker, head of marketing, UK, Hive

Hive has seen huge growth over the past five years, securing its place as the UKs leader in the smart home category by expanding from connected thermostats to smart plugs, lights and home sensors. UK head of marketing Katherine Walker took us through the brands growth, and how it plans to continue expanding and innovating in the IoT space.

“Location is going to become the new third-party cookie. Its going to become the way we identify someones interests, their drives.”
David Morris, director of solutions consulting, EMEA, Tealium

With so many data points available, the question of how marketers can connect the disparate information available to them and create a singular view of the customer was a common one. Tealiums David Morris spoke about mobiles role as the connecting point between every channel, thanks to its ability to track location.

“Kids can download this world and move inside the painting, learning things about it, speaking to the painter, playing games within the space weve created.”
James Delaney, managing director, BlockWorks

BlockWorks creates marketing experiences in an unconventional space – within the world of Minecraft, the worlds second-most successful video game of all time. Managing director James Delaney spoke about the companys work with brands like Disney, Tate Modern and the Museum of London, creating interactive digital experiences that drive huge levels of engagement.

“Snacking is not planned, its impulse driven, its about moments in your day. But its still predictable. Weve been working around what triggers we can identify that become long term trends.”
James JT Turner, insights and analytics business leader, Black Swan

Machine learning and advanced algorithms mean that the data available to marketers can yield insights that humans would never think to look for. James Turner from Black Swan explained how information sourced from places as diverse as social media and app usage can predict everything from when and where youll next eat to who medicine brands should target during cold and flu season.

“On this day in 1933, prohibition came to an end in the United States. Now theres something to drink to.”
Alexa

Perhaps the most unique speaker of the day was Alexa, Amazons digital assistant. Mobile Marketing Magazines David Murphy interviewed the AI via the Amazon Echo, the retailers popular smart speaker and home hub, demonstrating both the capabilities and limitations of current digital assistants, and asking what we can expect from them in the future.

If you’re interested in hearing these sorts of insights into a variety of verticals and technology areas, check out our 2017 Summits site, with events covering Finance, Programmatic, Travel and more. Click here to find out more.

The post The 10 Best Quotes from our Connected Consumer Summit appeared first on Mobile Marketing Magazine.

Today there are multiple ways for brands to engage and connect with consumers across a range of platforms and devices, and this trend will only grow as more people adopt these new technologies.

Our Connected Consumer Summit is all about exploring these challenges and opportunities, looking at the potential for reaching the always-on consumer, as well as the barriers that need to be overcome to ensure that every touchpoint and interaction is timely, relevant and context-appropriate.

The help explore these topics, well be joined by a range of experts in the area including Tony Maile, European retail leader for IBM and Archana Vidyasekar, global research manager from market research firm Frost & Sullivan.

Katherine Walker, head of UK marketing for Hive will explore how British Gas smart home solution has improved customer relations, while Ilicco Elia and Kenny Davies from DigitasLBi will offer guidance on how the new wave of home IoT can provide brands with vital individual-level data.

Our Summits are an opportunity for brand marketers and tech industry experts to connect and converse, with our roundtable sessions and panel discussions offering attendees a chance to address their concerns when it comes to approaching this exciting new area. Confirmed brand attendees so far include Tesco, Disney, BT, Cancer Research UK, Sky, Sainsburys, Marks & Spencer, Odeon, Eurostar, Thomas Cook and Ralph Lauren, and the day will provide all delegates with a great chance to network and share their experiences with their peers.

The Connected Consumer Summit takes place on Thursday 16 February at the St. James Court Hotel in Westminster. Senior brand marketers can register to attend for free here. If youre interested in sponsoring the Connected Consumer Summit or any of our events, email james.mcgowan@mobilemarketingmagazine.com

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Hive Active Light works with the Hive Hub and complements the existing range, including Hive Active Heating, Hive Active Plug, Hive Motion Sensor and Hive Window or Door Sensors. To mark the launch, existing Hive customers can benefit from a 10 per cent discount off Hive Active Light single and multipacks from today until 31 July.

Hive Active Light is available in both screw-in and bayonet fittings. It costs £19.99, with a multi-pack of three bulbs available for £49.99. It’s available from Maplin, Screwfix, DSG, Amazon, Shop Direct and hivehome.com.

The Hive app has also been revamped and now features an enhanced interface which enables Hive products to be viewed at a glance and reached with one tap from an onscreen dashboard

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The number of UK households with some form of smart home system has increased 30 per cent in the past 12 months to 4m, which equates to 4 per cent of homes in the UK. Meanwhile, the average smart home will spend £256 on the technology, equating to a market size of £940m. In comparison, US homes average £541.

The figures come from Strategy Analytics, which undertook a major research project across Europe and the US into smart home take-up and behaviour, including the most popular types of smart technology.

The analysis identified six distinct consumer segments – three of which are realistic for purchasing smart home systems and services. In order of likelihood they are:

Impressers (11 per cent of the population) – these skew towards slightly younger females in higher income, connected device households. They also exhibit a big skew in interest in motion-sensing camera technology.

The second group is Millennial Males (9 per cent) – these are under 35, more likely not to have children and live in flats. Again, they show a spike in interest in motion-sensing camera technology.

The third group is Green Nesters (8 per cent) – these are married families owning multiple smartphones and tablets. They show a much greater interest in smart home technology around occupancy-sensing systems for lights and heating.

“After the initial hype, there seems to be a degree of negativity about the genuine opportunity for smart home technology, particularly around how many households are likely to use it,” said Bill Ablondi, Strategy Analytics’ director, Smart Home Strategies. “However, take-up rates are increasing very well and will continue if smart home manufacturers and marketers focus on the most viable potential customers. Of course, it’s not for everyone but nearly 30 per cent of the population are ripe for it, which is a pretty good start.

“British Gas Connected Homes is poised to reach 300,000 customers for its Hive service which is focused on energy management. We believe that home monitoring is a bigger draw if priced right. Service providers could spur the market with free basic monitoring and notification services bundled with their other services and then offer several levels of premium capabilities for additional fees. Insurance firms could do the same. Security service providers are well-positioned to offer self-monitoring and automation capabilities on top of their current services.”
UK consumers are most willing to pay for notifications about potential hazards and emergencies in their home (10 per cent to 11 per cent) followed by a system that can automatically shut off the water in case of a leak and remote video monitoring (both 9 per cent).

Ablondi noted also that firms such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Samsung are building awareness for smart home technologies through their various initiatives. “Technology advancements in enhanced visual and voice recognition coupled with cognitive computing on a chip will introduce new value propositions, stimulating consumer demand,” he said. “Google’s Nest will leap beyond the thermostat, smoke detector and camera to door bells and locks and virtually every control point in the home. Data analytics for predicting failure in heating systems and major appliances will become an extension of the maintenance contracts retailers, energy providers and manufacturers offer. We are on the cusp of the next big thing in consumer adoption of digital technology.”

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Hive Active Heating launched in 2013 to enable people to control their heating and hot water from their mobile, tablet or laptop. Over 200,000 people are already using the solution, which is installed free of charge for British Gas customers, though you don’t need to be a British Gas customer to buy it.

The updated version goes by the name of Hive Active Heating 2. It includes a new
thermostat, designed by Jawbone designer, Yves Béhar. It offers a heating boost for up to six hours (the original version could only boost the hot water). It also comes with more heating and hot water schedule flexibility; a Holiday Mode setting; and multizone compatibility, to enable the user to have two heating and hot water zones for two parts of the house, if the plumbing is in place for it.

Existing Hive Active Heating customers will be able to access the new features via an updated version of the app and online dashboard, while customers buying Hive Active Heating 2 from today can also access them on the new thermostat as well. The new thermos costs £249, or is available as a £99 upgrade to existing Hive customers.

The complementary products, due for release in the autumn, are built on the Honeycomb platform, which British Gas acquired when it purchased AlertMe in February this year, and integrate seamlessly with the Hive hub and app. The platform is designed to be open and scalable to enable future integration with partners and developers.

Hive Active Plugs let the user control appliances remotely via the Hive app, allowing them to switch devices on and off from wherever you are, and set schedules. For example, a lamp plugged into a Hive Active Plug could be switched on and off remotely via the Hive app when on holiday, to give the impression that someone is at home.

Hive Motion Sensors detect motion in the house when the owner is not there. For those times when the home is empty, such as when the owner is away on holiday, they will get an alert to their phone if motion is detected.

Hive Window and Door Sensors are wireless contact sensors which can be fitted to windows and doors and will notify the owner if they are open or closed. Finally, Hive Active Lights will, give Hive users the ability to turn lights on or off in their home remotely via the app.

“In addition to the beautifully redesigned HiveActive Heating thermostat and new range of app features, we’ve created a family of connected home products that are easy to use, accessible for everyone, and genuinely make life easier,” said Kassir Hussain, director of British Gas connected homes. “We’re the only UK provider to deliver the complete connected home end-to-end experience – from ownership of the platform to product creation, installation and on-going support. We’re excited to be expanding our portfolio and making the connected home at last a reality for everyone.

“This is only the beginning. We’re already working to give our customers even more ways to customise how they control their homes with Hive so they can create personalised ‘recipes’ to fit with their lifestyles. We’re starting by adding our own products to the Honeycomb platform, as we open it up we’ll work with a number of trusted brands and partners too. Expect further announcements on this over the coming months.”

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The deal will combine AlertMes technology and expertise with British Gas mass market infrastructure, expanding the companys Hive solution and its Internet of Things capabilities, and creating one of the UKs leading connected homes providers.

“This acquisition underlines our commitment to helping customers manage their homes, including their energy, more easily,” said Nina Bhatia, commercial director of British Gas. “Already, were the only business in the UK that can build the technology, develop the software, and provide expert in-home installation and service.

“With access to new technology and skills, were strengthening our capability at British Gas to develop a family of products that will put people in control of their homes in a way thats simply never been possible before.”

AlertMe was founded in 2006, and its products and services are already in place in over 200,000 homes. It also provides personalised energy services to 500,000 homes.

“AlertMe has been the pioneer in establishing and growing the Internet of Things commercially in the UK and USA,” said Mary Turner, CEO of AlertMe. “We have created a market-leading Internet of Things platform and a highly experienced team of technologists and operational capability, which together have given us proven ability to serve mass market customers.”

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The app has been updated to enable blind and partially sighted users to control it using the phones voice control features to adjust their heating and hot water systems.

“Were very excited to announce that the Hive Active Heating app has received our app accreditation and are pleased that customers with sight loss can benefit from this partnership,” said Neil Heslop, managing director of RNIB Solutions. “All too often, blind and partially sighted people struggle to access heating control systems. By combining the power of a modern smartphone with a well-designed accessible app, businesses can easily create a cost effective solution that works for all customers, including those with sight loss.”

“Were delighted to have worked with RNIB to ensure our Hive Active Heating app is easy for blind and partially sighted people to use,” said Kass Hussain, managing director of British Gas Connected Homes. “At British Gas, were committed to helping everyone understand and manage their energy use, in a way that works for them, and blind and partially sighted people are part of that commitment.”

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In fact, sales of smart thermostats in N. America and Europe rose by 105 per cent to 3.2m. America led the way, posting 107 per cent growth for a total of 2.5m devices, while Europe saw a 96 per cent increase for a total of 0.7m.

Berg Insight forecasts that the number of homes with smart thermostats in Europe and N. America will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 64.2 per cent during the next five years to reach 38.2m in 2019. N. America will remain the largest market at the end of the forecast period, with 24.6m homes that have smart thermostats, whereas the installed base in Europe is expected to reach 13.6m homes by 2019.

The N. American smart thermostat market is led by Nest, Honeywell and Ecobee. In Europe, the leading smart thermostat vendor is eQ-3, whose smartphone-controlled radiator thermostats have been installed in more than 300,000 homes. Other successful initiatives include the smart thermostat solutions offered by the energy companies British Gas in the UK and Eneco in the Netherlands. British Gas’ Hive solution had approximately 140,000 users at the end of 2014, whereas Eneco had signed up around 100,000 users for its Toon solution.

Berg believes that smart thermostats represent a particularly attractive opportunity in the smart home market, as they appeal to consumers, energy companies and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) service providers alike.

Consumers embrace smart thermostats primarily due to the potential for energy savings, increased comfort and convenience. For energy companies, they open up new possibilities to introduce consumer-friendly demand response and energy efficiency programmes. These programmes can enable significant capital savings as lower peak load can reduce expenditures on reserve power generation and the need to purchase energy on the spot market. Adding intelligence to residential heating and cooling systems furthermore opens up new opportunities for HVAC service providers. Predictive maintenance and remote diagnostics can allow repair and maintenance activities to be streamlined and conducted more efficiently.

There’s more information about the report here.

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