SwitchBot Looks Into Smart Blinds
Smart home company SwitchBot recently announced a Kickstarter campaign for a new product, The SwitchBot Blind Tilt, which is a small robot that will turn the wand on the side of window blinds to alter the shade. Retrofit blinds like the Blind Tilt have seen interest on the market for their price; SwitchBot’s product is set to sell for $69 while many full smart blinds products (which often include features in addition to shade tilting) sell for $300 or more.
The NPD Take:
- In addition to convenience, automated blinds help homeowners control energy costs during sunny months. The $70 price point on this product makes it an easy solution for lowering costs. The robot is also solar powered making it a good option for environmentally conscious consumers.
Fluid One Turns Your iPhone Into A Do-It-All Remote
Developers have designed a solution for controlling the smart home using an iPhone and the same technology that powers Apple’s AirTags. The U1 Ultra Wide Band chip in the iPhone gives it the ability to detect how close other UWB devices are from the phone. Using this technology, developers at Fluid One designed an iPhone app that maps the home (using AirTag-type discs around the house) and allows for control of devices found on the map.
The NPD Take:
- AirTags are considered Apple’s first AR device. Using the technology to create a map of the home has certain implications for the smart home and control of devices. At $800, plus fees, for its AirTag-like Smart Nodes, Fluid One’s solution is expensive and it is unclear if an all-in-one smart home remote control could be a successful product.
- There are a variety of ways to control the smart home from voice control to scene setting and other automations.