The typical UAE home is witnessing a momentous transformation, according to industry experts, one characterized by the increased adoption of smart technologies \u2013 enabling residents to interact with their home in a way they never have before.<\/p>\n
Whether it is remotely switching off the lights and air conditioning to save energy, watching over loved ones while at work to make sure they are safe and sound, or checking-in while on holiday to make sure there is no lurking disaster, smart home technologies have added another layer of comfort, convenience, and peace of mind to the way UAE residents manage their households.<\/p>\n
According to research firm MarketsandMarkets, the smart home market \u2013 classified on the basis of products in lighting, security and access, HVAC, entertainment, healthcare, and kitchenware, is expected to reach USD 121.73 billion by 2022, at a compound annual growth rate of 14.07 per cent per cent between 2016 and 2022.<\/p>\n
Fahad Al Bannai, CEO of the region\u2019s largest mobility reseller, axiom telecom, believes the GCC \u2013 the UAE and Saudi Arabia in particular \u2013 will play an important role in this rapid global growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at the population here in the UAE, you see many millennials who are growing into adulthood and starting to have families, yet are still passionate about exploring the world and advancing their careers,\u201d said Al Bannai. \u201cMany of them will rely on technology to help them strike that balance between home, work, and leisure. Today\u2019s mobile applications, backed by a reliable 4G \u2013 soon to be 5G \u2013 data network, make it possible to stay connected wherever life takes them.\u201d<\/p>\n
The country\u2019s telecommunications operators, Etisalat and du, have been important enablers of this smart home evolution. The UAE is estimated to have the region\u2019s highest per capita smartphone penetration rate, at an estimated 73.8 per cent, according to Google, as well as a wide 4G LTE network that covers 85 per cent of the country\u2019s populated areas.<\/p>\n
In addition to providing a robust data network, both operators are taking their own initiative to help residents embrace smart home technology.<\/p>\n
Etisalat offers \u2018Smart Living\u2019, a unified approach to home automation that integrates home monitoring, security, safety, and air conditioning management into one system that can be managed from a smartphone, tablet, or computer.<\/p>\n
du is following suit, bringing smart home solutions, ranging from surveillance and monitoring to entertainment automation, to its customers across the UAE through the operator\u2019s partnership with PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong\u2019s premier telecommunications service provider.<\/p>\n
axiom telecom, the Middle East\u2019s leading reseller of mobile products, now offers a host of smart home solutions, enabling customers to monitor and manage their home \u2013 from locking the door to switching off the light \u2013 anytime and anywhere. Mobile controlled IP cameras and sophisticated drones provide users with hi-res photos and aerial footage, ensuring no area goes uncovered.<\/p>\n
Integration and user-friendliness is key to encouraging more residents to install home automation and smart home technology, which otherwise might be perceived as an overwhelming complex system of independently functioning parts, says Al Bannai.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis migration from offline to online home management is an important step in assimilating homes across the UAE into the country\u2019s Smart City future,\u201d Al Bannai said. \u201cIt can help save and conserve energy \u2013 thus playing a supplemental role in sustainability. It can significantly raise the quality of life for UAE residents, redefining the way they handle day-to-day tasks. And it can enhance the entertainment experience. The possibilities are endless, but a unified approach through cross-industry collaboration is crucial to making this a positive and valuable experience for the end-user.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The typical UAE home is witnessing a momentous transformation, according to industry experts, one characterized by the increased adoption of smart technologies \u2013 enabling residents to interact with their home in a way they never have before. Whether it is remotely switching off the lights and air conditioning to save energy, watching over loved ones […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3188,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_pr_autopilot_social_copy":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph_description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph_image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph_image_id":0,"_yoast_wpseo_twitter_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter_description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter_image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter_image_id":0,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":443,"_extra_hide_author_box":"1","_extra_featured_post":"","_partner_post_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[443],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-smart-devices","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n