Seth Frader-Thompson to speak at 20th-annual Parks CONNECTIONS™ Conference

20th-annual CONNECTIONS™ Conference to address importance of interoperability for connected devices and mobile apps

Parks Associates research shows that 80% of U.S. smartphone and tablet users who own at least one smart home device have downloaded mobile apps for these devices. The international research firm will address consumer usage habits for mobile apps and the need for interoperability among connected devices at the upcoming 20^th-annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference, May 24-26, at the Hyatt San Francisco Airport.

“The growing interest in the smart home space has prompted a large number of players to enter the smart home ecosystem with their own devices, platforms, and solutions,” said Harry Wang, Senior Research Director, Parks Associates. “This rapid expansion has resulted in a highly fragmented marketplace, and for companies to emerge successfully from the crowd, they will need to provide a seamless consumer experience that interconnects with all other functions of the connected home. Device manufacturers and software developers can explore innovative collaborations to bring these personalized use cases to life.”

Dashboard to Smart Home: Apps and APIs reveals that the majority of consumers begin their smart home journey with a single smart device to address a specific pain point. Parks Associates believes that the value proposition of the smart home will ultimately evolve from point solutions to service-driven solutions. Among smartphone/tablet users who also own specified smart home devices, 91% used an app with their device for smart programmable thermostats. Apps for sprinkler systems and lightbulbs also saw 91% usage on these devices.

Parks Associates will address app usage and connected devices in the smart home with multiple sessions and speakers at its CONNECTIONS™ Conference in May.

“Driving Value with New Use Cases in the Smart Home,” Tuesday, May 24, 11:15 a.m., moderated by Tom Kerber, Director of Research, Home Controls & Energy, Parks Associates, features the following speakers:

• Winifred Chang, Director IoT Business Development, LG Electronics
• Jay Kenny, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Alarm.com
• Curt Schacker, VP, Managing Director, Connected Products, EVRYTHNG
• Mark Skarpness, Chair of the IoTivity Steering Group, Open Connectivity Foundation
• Mike Stauffer, Senior Director, Business Development, Qualcomm Atheros, Inc.

“At EVRYTHNG we believe that property insurance is an emerging driver for consumer adoption and helping to unlock the value of the smart home,” said Curt Schacker, SVP Connected Products, EVRYTHNG. “Insurance providers stand to benefit greatly from the data generated by connected devices and sensors; furthermore, we believe that their involvement will play a significant role in overcoming the ‘friction of adoption’ that has impeded progress towards the smart home.”

“The smart home revolution is well underway, but the true potential of this technology has yet to be unlocked,” said Mark Skarpness, Chair of the IoTivity Steering Group, Open Connectivity Foundation. “IoT standards that enable devices to work together will be imperative to the overall success of the smart home. The Open Connectivity Foundation, composed of leading technology companies, is working with the broader IoT community to collaborate on the best way to create this standard. It is only through this collaboration that we will realize the full potential of the connected home.”

“Smartphone Apps and APIs: Lifeline for the Connected Consumer,” Wednesday, May 25, 1:15 p.m., moderated by Harry Wang, Senior Director, Health & Mobility Product Research, Parks Associates, features the following speakers:

• Kent Dickson, Co-founder and CEO, Yonomi
• Kimmo Ruotoistenmäki, CEO and Co-founder, Cozify
• Matt Swatsky, Director of Product Management, Lutron
• Justin Wong, VP Business Development, IFTTT Inc.

“Device-specific apps may provide a cool way to remote control your smart lights, thermostat, locks and so on. However, the true smart home is about making all connected devices play together, not with your phone,” saidKimmo Ruotoistenmäki, CEO and Co-founder, Cozify.

“Energy, IoT, and Smart Home Partnerships,” Thursday, May 26, 8:30 a.m., moderated by Tom Kerber, Director of Research, Home Controls & Energy, Parks Associates, features the following speakers:

• Paul Campbell, VP Innovation / Head of Silicon Valley Innovation Center, Schneider Electric
• Corey Chao, Innovation Manager, Connected Home, NRG/Reliant
• Seth Frader-Thompson, Co-Founder and President, EnergyHub
• Carl Lenox, Solution Architect, SunPower Corporation
• Kevin Petersen, President, AT&T Digital Life
• Matthew Pine, Vice President, Marketing, Carrier, United Technologies

“The Parks Associates CONNECTIONS™ Conference is the perfect place to network, discuss and move the smart home industry forward with best practices and market insights that benefit us all,” said Paul Campbell, VP Innovation / Head of Silicon Valley Innovation Center, Schneider Electric.

“EnergyHub’s role in connecting utilities and energy markets with connected device vendors puts us in a unique position to think about how companies in the IoT and energy industries can work together to advance connected home solutions,” said Seth Frader-Thompson, Co-Founder and President, EnergyHub. “CONNECTIONS™ is a great opportunity to meet with other industry leaders to collaborate and talk strategy for consumer engagement in the smart home.”

Event sponsors include Reception Sponsors CEL and Zonoff; Session Sponsors Icontrol Networks and PlumChoice; Lunch Sponsors Coldwell Banker and NXP; Silver Sponsors Alarm.com, Assurant, Asurion, Centercode, ROC-Connect, Support.com, ULE Alliance, WiZR, and ZigBee Alliance; Bronze Sponsors Audio Analytic, Ayla Networks, Cirrent, EVRYTHNG, Flextronics, Honeywell, HP, iQor, mnubo, People Power, PlanetEcosystems, WeatherBug Home, and Z-Wave; Program Guide Sponsor Vivint; Breakfast Sponsors Greenwave Systems and leakSMART; and Break Sponsors Home8, Home Advisor, Nortek Security & Control, State Farm, and Tyco.

To schedule an interview with an analyst or request specific research, contact Holly Sprague at hsprague@gmail.com, 720.987.6614.

About CONNECTIONS™

Parks Associates’ 20th-annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference will take place May 24-26 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport in San Francisco. CONNECTIONS™ hosts over 650 executives from the connected entertainment, IoT, and smart home industries and is focused specifically on strategies to fully engage consumers in the connected home experience.

The event provides networking opportunities and insights from industry players on entertainment, mobile, and smart home market segments. Parks Associates research team highlights the firm’s research throughout the event, including technology adoption and trends, forecasts of new products and services, evaluation of new business strategies, and recommendations about technology innovations, strategic partnerships, monetization opportunities, and value-added services. Throughout the three-day event, sponsors offer tabletop demos during networking events, spotlighting new technology innovations and services.

For more information, contact sales@parksassociates.com, call 972-490-1113, visit www.connectionsconference.com.