CE Pro May 2022 - 11

Google Keynoter: 'Decade of the Integrator' Is Here
" THE COMING DECADE is
the decade of the integrator, "
asserts Adeel Tufail, channel
lead of Custom Install and
Security at Google. " When
you are thinking about who
wants this stuff ... at this
point it is almost everybody.
People want technology, but
not everyone can install it
themselves. "
Tufail was the keynote
speaker at the recent CEDIA
Tech Summit in New Jersey,
where he covered a range
of topics, addressing the
upcoming Matter standard,
voice control, the DIY market
versus the Do-It-For-Me
market, and the growth of
professional installation.
Speaking to a crowd of
about 75 attendees, he noted
data from Google showing
that while many consumers
purchase Nest thermostats
and Nest doorbells, some are
not comfortable installing it
on their own.
" The products are designed
to be easily installed as a DIY
project, which allows fast
and easy installation as a pro
integrator, " says Tufail. " A
bigger trend we are seeing
continually grow in the
business as people want more
multi-product solutions is a
'Do-It-For-Me' option, which
is great news for the industry
as a whole. Nest Pros can
take care of the installation
and make sure everything's
up and running for a handsoff
consumer experience. "
He says smart home technology
requires digital settings
and connections that older
analog devices did not require.
That means integrators will
be able to charge consumers
for installation labor for digital
devices that they could not
have earned for analog gear.
Tufail cited data that by
2023, the average U.S. home
will have 21 connected devices.
He touted voice control as
a growing trend, noting that it
is desired by Millennials, Gen
Z, senior citizens, and people
with special needs.
" Those are all key demographics
for voice control and
smart home technology, " he
says.
Tufail says Google's
ultimate goal is the create a
" Thoughtful Home, " and he
played a well-produced video
showing a family interacting
with their Google Assistant to
control their smart home.
To Google, a Thoughtful
Home is more:
Helpful - Products
work together to help
you feel comfortable
and safe, keep an eye
on things when you're
away, and connect you
to friends and family
Contextual - It anticipates
your needs and
learns your preferences
to tailor and customize
your devices
Accessible - Devices
include features that can
be helpful for customers
with accessibility needs
to control appliances or
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manage tasks through
voice or the app
" We want a home to be
'helpful' and have an impact
on the end user. It is something
we live by, " Tufail says,
adding that the next decade
will be the fastest technology
evolution yet. He says
the 2020s will be the era of
" ambient computing " during
which technology interacts all
around us. He cited geofencing
as an example of the
early beginnings of ambient
computing, and that voice
recognition is a big element of
ambient computing.
" Voice is not radically
new. Google has been doing
voice control for 11 years, but
Google Assistant just brought
it to the forefront, " he notes.
" You already speak to your
car. Naturally that same technology
is going to come into
the home. It will be seamless
and 360 degrees around you.
When it is easier to interact
with technology, then people
want more of it. "
Among the statistics he
cited is that 72% of consumers
want smart devices with
voice control capabilities. He
also noted a CNET study that
showed Google Assistant
has a 92.5% accuracy rate
for inquiries, compared with
just 33.8% for Amazon Alexa,
31.8% for Samsung Bixby, and
28% for Apple HomePod.
Tufail also says that Google
makes a clear distinction
between the " smart home "
and " home automation, " but
acknowledges how API integrations
have created a world
where both industries literally
" Home
automation is
different from the
smart home ...
Dealers are vital
in creating the
experience for the
end user. "
-Adeel Tufail,
Channel Lead of
Custom Install &
Security, Google
help each other. Smart home
has and continues to be
adopted by mass population
allowing integrators to get
a chance to talk to so many
more people about the other
technologies they have in
their portfolio of business.
" Home automation is different
from the smart home.
Large homes are almost like
commercial setups; they need
more than just smart home
devices, " he explains. " Dealers
are vital in creating the experience
for the end user. That's
why Google recommends
professional installation for all
of our Nest devices. "
Tufail believes integrators
can create a strong business
model by targeting smaller
homes and simply installing
smart home devices that can
be deployed in one day.
-Jason Knott
May 2022 CE Pro | 11
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CE Pro May 2022

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