Instead of a consumer having to decide which hardware and software options to implement in their home, they can simply leave it up to the providers of home services. This includes the various operators who already provide internet access and entertainment to consumers and businesses worldwide. As these operators already have relationships with the home owner – their routers, modems, and set-top boxes are already in the home, and the customers are already accustomed to receiving and paying a monthly bill for these services.

However, the market for providing SHaaS is not limited to just the service providers and operators. Numerous retail organisations like Walmart, Home Depot, Costco, etc. who already provide a certain amount of home services, could easily enter this market sector, as well as various large security firms and integrators who could wrap up and market the entire suite of services and sell them as a unified package.

Insurance companies also see the benefits of smart home applications, when early warnings of water leaks, heating system defects, fire, etc. could help save huge amounts of money for repair, renovation and replacement.

By opting for SHaaS, consumers avoid the major challenges outlined above. They don’t need to be a technology genius. By having one organisation responsible for installation, set up and management, it makes it much faster to get the service up and running. In addition, if the home owner wants to add additional services like family lifestyle or leak detection, they just need to contact their service provider and they can get it installed, ready to be integrated and work with their existing service structure. A service provider can ensure that all the controls and user interfaces are unified – all the SHaaS options can live within a single dashboard – with common commands and look & feel. Finally, by providing an entire range of services, the consumer does not need to know or even care about what the underlying wireless connectivity technology is.

By providing an ecosystem of smart home services to millions of customers, the service providers themselves don’t have to worry as much regarding which connectivity technology wins the marketing war.

Finally, consumers want services. Numerous studies have indicated that aside from a few early innovators and hobbyists, most people want the benefits of a smart home without the challenge of actually investigating, purchasing, installing and maintaining a system of disparate connected devices. They want a system that simply works. You turn it on, you look at your smart phone’s customised smart home management app, and you can control and manage all aspects of what is going on the home. All from one app – one dashboard, not a collection of apps scattered across your smart phone’s screen.