One of the great things about the rise of smart home technology is watching partnerships form. These partnerships are going to be the heart of what shapes the future of the smart home industry; so you better believe that I’m paying attention.
One of the recent partnerships that I found pretty interesting was the one between Ring, the video doorbell, and ADT, a home security provider. Separately, each of these companies offers their own home security benefits. The Ring video doorbell lets homeowners see who is at their door and talk to them, whether or not they are home. It also offers monitoring of zoned areas, and send alerts if there is activity in those areas. ADT offers full home monitoring, including burglary and flooding, and also offers remote control of lights and doors, including garage doors.
Together, these services offer a new level of smart home security that can help homeowners feel safe and secure no matter where they are. This isn’t the first smart home company that ADT has partnered with either; previously they partnered with Nest thermostats, as well as with August smart locks. Adding Ring to their partnership list is just helping further their relevance in the home security space.
The main feature and service that this partnership provides is that it integrates ADT Pulse with the Ring app, meaning you can access ADT features in one easy place. Through the Ring app, you’ll be able to arm your home alarm, lock your doors, and even turn on your lights when you see, or get alerted to, someone suspicious on your property. Ring already positions itself as a product that helps dissuade burglars since, it claims, many will ring an existing doorbell on their target home before breaking in. When you add the ability to double check your alarm and locks when someone suspicious is on your property, you add in a layer of confidence that your possessions are safe and secure. Being able to switch a light on in a dark home is a great way to fake being home, as well. Sure, you can do this with other products, but that is the beauty of this partnership – from within the Ring app, you can tap an icon and activate your ADT Pulse features. You don’t have to exit out of the Ring app, open another app, wait for it to load, then activate the features you want. When you’re talking about your home security, every second counts.
I’m interested to see what future partnerships ADT, and other companies, form as everyone tries to get a hold on the market and come out ahead. The biggest complaint home automation users have right now is that there aren’t industry standards that help users connect their devices. Maybe continued partnerships between companies will help answer that call for now.
Is this combined home automation solution one that you are likely to try, or do you have your own security system in place?
Photo by: nadbasher
