In the 20+ years that Parks Associates has hosted CONNECTIONS™, the connected home has evolved from a high-end concept to a mass-market opportunity with incredible revenue potential. Consumer expectations for new connectivity solutions are driving continued advancements in technology, and every day, new smart home applications are introduced. 

Bluetooth is a prime example of a key technology that has grown to meet the demands of the industry. Initially focused on one-to-one connections for pairing between phones and headsets, Bluetooth has also become the go-to for one-to-many connections (think beacons) and will soon announce a standardized version of mesh networking, which will allow for many-to-many connectivity between devices. These advancements in Bluetooth technology are a direct result of consumer and industry demands, and a desire to use technology to better connect to the world around us. By embracing these myriad connectivity options, Bluetooth has transformed into a wireless technology ideally suited for the smart home and so much more. 

CONNECTIONS™ is the only connected home event driven by these kinds of real world use cases and emerging business models, and focuses on successfully engaging consumers to grow revenues in the converging IoT industries. This year’s conference is based on the changing consumer IoT markets for the smart home, connected entertainment, digital health, smart energy, and mobile apps and services, and includes presentations from Parks Associates' leading analysts and visionary sessions featuring executives from industry leaders. 

We’re excited to have Comcast’s senior executive Sridhar Solur providing the opening keynote: “Humanizing Connected Home Experiences: Using Machine Learning and Voice Control.” Solur, the Senior Vice President of Product & Development for Xfinity Home, Internet of Things, and Data Services, will outline how Comcast is bringing physical and digital security together, and share best practices on integrating voice with machine intelligence. 

Additional keynote speakers include: 

• Matt Eyring, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Vivint Smart Home
• Kristine Faulkner, SVP/GM, COX Homelife, Cox Communications
• Rahul Patel, SVP and GM, Connectivity, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.
• Miles Kingston, GM of Smart Home, Intel

The Bluetooth SIG is an association supporter at this year’s event. We share with the SIG a passion for creating connectivity solutions that exceed consumer expectations and provide a personalized experience. We also share a vision of a more easily connected world that will guide IoT growth over the next several years. We’re honored to have the SIG, and all our supporters, at the 21st-annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference, taking place on May 23-25, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco.

(Credit: Tom Kerber)