CE Pro March 2024 - 21

OliverIQ Debuts at CES 2024 with Subscription Model
one of these manufacturers is
THE CREATORS of Control4
are hoping to work
their smart home magic
again, announcing the
official debut of their latest
endeavor, OliverIQ, at CES
2024 in Las Vegas.
Developed by Control4
co-founders Will West and
Eric Smith, OliverIQ is a
Smart Home as a Service
(SHaaS) platform featuring
a subscription model with
unlimited support and a
user-friendly app.
Partnering with national
and global service providers,
OliverIQ aims to scale
their SHaaS platform rapidly,
providing product support,
unlimited online and phone
support, in-home assistance,
and security system monitoring,
the company explains.
The SHaaS software can
be embedded in common
household devices such as
routers, set top boxes, or
the OliverIQ hub. It's supported
by an easy-to-use
application with access to
around-the-clock technical
support. The company is
partnering with ISPs, security
providers, builders, and
major home retailers to sell
and service subscriptions.
" Think about the differences
in the market when
we started Control4 and
now - it's an unrecognizable
landscape. There was
virtually none of what's available
today, " says West, OliverIQ's
CEO, noting devices
such as the Nest thermostat,
Ring video doorbell and the
millions of smart speakers
installed in people's homes.
cepro.com
" So why isn't that good
enough? And the answer is,
it's not good enough because
when you put all these
devices in your home ... most
people have eight apps, 10
apps for controlling various
things. It's separate control,
it's not automation. Automation
is when you put things
together to create a better
lifestyle using the devices in
your home working together. "
West notes that making
a cohesive system out of
myriad IoT devices can get
complicated. The OliverIQ
solution communicates with
the connected devices in the
home through a multiprotocol
platform - owners can
use any devices, from any
manufacturer or protocols
including RF technology,
Google, Apple, Amazon,
Samsung, Wi-Fi, Matter,
Thread, Z-Wave, and Zigbee.
" It's not just the fact that
you've got all [these protocols
and devices] going on
in your home, it's that every
doing updates whenever they
want, " West adds. " Nobody
coordinates with anybody
else, and the reality is when
you put a bunch of devices in
your home, stuff happens. "
The SHaaS model addresses
these complexities
and maintenance challenges
typically associated with
smart home setups, the
company says. Customers
don't need to navigate the
daunting process of integrating
multiple devices or
managing ongoing maintenance.
OliverIQ handles
everything from initial
setup, automation, software
updates, to troubleshooting
- all managed via their app.
According to the company,
its app can communicate
with over 90% of the most
popular off-the-shelf smart
devices in the market.
OliverIQ's SHaaS solution
- a business model paid
through the service provider
- offers the technical service
and support homeowners
need to build, program,
and maintain a truly smart
home. Support is ongoing,
so functionalities always
have the latest updates.
" We're breaking down
the barriers in the smart
home, " says Eric Smith, CTO
of OliverIQ. " Our platform is
designed to bring the convenience
and lifestyle of a fully
automated home to a broader
audience at an affordable
price point, with at-your-service
technical support. "
Homeowners get unlimited
technical support calls,
as well as access to the
company's Knowledge Center.
Tech support teams can
offer guidance remotely via a
phone or computer screen,
and perform remote device
takeovers to troubleshoot
customer issues.
If a problem can't be
solved through remote
support, the service provider
can deliver in-person
service, with the cost of the
initial visit applied toward
any required repairs.
The new company will also
offer a sub-$100 standalone
multiprotocol hub that can
be added into home systems
where another hardware device
for embedding OliverIQ
is not present.
OliverIQ is building the
The SHaaS solution was launched by Control4 co-founders
Will West and Eric Smith, featuring 24/7 support access,
embedded software, a hub device, and a robust app.
scale to support homes nationwide,
with pricing based
on the services requested,
different markets, and other
variables. It is in beta with
select partners and will be
in market by Q2 2024.
-Arlen Schweiger
March 2024 CE Pro | 21
COURTESY OF OLIVERIQ
http://www.cepro.com
CE Pro March 2024

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