



Smartphone-controlled objects provide extreme convenience
Implications - Mobile technology is having a profound impact on home automation, allowing consumers to create 'smart' living spaces by controlling their appliances, entertainment units, thermostats, fixtures, security systems and more with their smartphones. The adoption rate of these smartphone-controlled innovations is rising -- according to ABI Research, approximately 1 million home-automation systems were sold across North America in 2011, and this number is predicted to grow six times by 2016. With smartphone ownership nearly ubiquitous and reliance on mobile technology rising at a rapid pace, this direction underscores the opportunities for smart living spaces and smartphone-controlled innovations in the marketplace.