The last decade has seen increased popularity around concepts such as IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence), and Smart Homes.
Consumers are familiar with the value smart homes offer in terms of savings and convenience. However, there are a few concerns or myths that have been holding back a lot of people who want to set up home automation.
In this article, we try to resolve some of the myths that people have regarding smart homes.
Myth #1 Smart homes don’t work
This is a most common myth from a lot of people, and from the consumer perspective, it’s justified, as early smart home companies promised too much but delivered way less, creating trust issues in the mind of the consumer.
But now that the technology has evolved over time, you can now imagine every possible activity with your smart home starting from automatically switching on the lights every morning when you wake up without touching the switch to having a cup of coffee ready at your coffee maker just the way you like and many more.
And that’s not it, smart technology will continue to evolve, bringing further surprising possibilities to your home.
Myth #2 Smart homes can be hacked easily
We recently expressed our opinions through a similar article ‘Alert: Can your Smart Home be Hacked?’ in which we try to resolve this concern thoroughly.
Things that are connected to the internet are always in danger of being hacked or getting misused by intruders, but smart home solution providers are taking serious steps in terms of data security and encryption to protect your personal information from hackers and make your home a better and safer place to stay.
You may also take some advanced steps as a precaution by setting up a firewall along with your wifi router, set a strong password to it, and consistently change it after a period of time.
Myth #3 Smart homes are expensive to install
It’s not necessary that every smart home gadget is expensive to install at home. Motion sensors for controlling smart lights or smart fans are relatively cheap but cost-effective measures.
We agree that a complete transformation of a home into a smart home could be expensive but you can always start with inexpensive smart home devices and build towards your ideal smart home experience.
We tend to overlook the value that a smart home brings in. The fact that smart homes help generate savings by reducing electricity consumption and by securing our homes, can have a major impact.
Myth #4 Smart home devices are difficult to use
Most smart home devices come with a smart home app that allows you to control your devices just by your fingertips. You can even control your smart home through voice recognition devices such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Moreover, you can set up a home automation system such as Aura that allows you to connect all your devices including your voice recognition systems under a single app like the Aura app.
Myth #5 Smart homes require internet:
In the second myth, we mentioned that devices that are connected to the internet are vulnerable to hacking. But what if smart home devices did not need to be connected to the internet but can still be controlled? Wouldn’t that be more secure and easy to use? How would it work?
An offline smart home requires setting up wireless communications protocols like Z-Wave that uses low-energy radio waves to allow smart appliances to connect and exchange data and commands.
Once the hub is installed, users can control compatible devices such as bulbs, switches, and locks without having to connect to a remote server (cloud-based server) run by the device manufacturer.
Internet-less smart homes offer greater security against data breaches as they are not part of the public cloud. Another advantage is that users can continue enjoying the benefits of their smart home even during a power outage or external disturbances.
Home automation is the next big thing in the market and it’s becoming a reality. Smart Homes are making our lives not only smarter but easier.
We’ve covered some of the most common myths regarding smart homes. If you have more misconceptions about smart homes, you can write it in the comments section or drop us a message at info@aura-smart.com.
You may continue to further explore the industry through our blog page where we cover the latest in the smart home world https://www.aura-smart.com/blog-1, such as our take on smart doors ‘Why you need smart door locks'.