6 important things to consider before choosing a smart home platform

The smart home platform enables control and management of devices from a single dashboard. There are many smart home platforms available today, including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, Apple Home (HomeKit), and open source Home Assistant.

1. How compatible is the smart home platform with existing devices?

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First, it is necessary to consider existing equipment. Smartphones, in particular, will help narrow down options. While most other platforms allow cross-compatibility, Apple HomeKit is not available on Android phones, and Android users in your household won't be able to use the platform.

Additionally, existing smart home devices in the home should be considered. If you already have a smart device (or several) from a manufacturer like Google or Amazon, it will be much easier to get started with the corresponding platform.

2. Does the platform provide ease of use and convenience?

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Ease of use and convenience are the main reasons for setting up a smart home. Smart home platforms offer varying levels of complexity that you may or may not be comfortable with.

For example, Home Assistant offers a deep level of customization but may be too complicated for non-technical users.

Other platforms do not allow for advanced customization, but they do provide an intuitive and user-friendly interface to aid in smart home setup and management.

3. Evaluate the cost of the smart home platform

Although cost should not be the deciding factor when choosing a smart home platform, you should consider the amount of money you will invest in the platform. Google and Amazon's platforms are completely free to use, and purchasing a Google Nest Hub or Amazon Echo smart speaker is optional. Other platforms require purchasing a hub or require a monthly subscription for full functionality.

For a basic smart home setup, you'll find that the free options are more than up to the task. Additionally, unless you are deeply involved in the Apple ecosystem, you may want to use other platforms because its smart hubs (HomePod and Apple TV) are the most expensive on the market.

4. What is your favorite voice assistant?

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Choosing a smart home platform will be easier if you already have a favorite voice assistant. You might love the versatility of Google Assistant more, love Alexa's dad jokes, or find Siri's failed attempts at voice recognition adorable.

Samsung SmartThings can work with both Google Assistant and Alexa, and the Home Assistant platform has a voice assistant called Assist that can be installed on Apple and Android devices.

5. Is the smart home platform being actively developed?

If you're going to invest time and money into a smart home, you need to have reasonable assurances that the company will be in business for a long time and won't suddenly go out of business, leaving you with the headache of finding alternatives. position.

While you can't predict which platforms will last, there are some telltale signs to keep an eye out for. For example, Google has a knack for killing products early and Siri is underdeveloped compared to other products. However, Amazon appears to be a reliable choice in the industry, and Home Assistant is open-sourced, which generally gives the project staying power. Be sure to consider all of these combined with other factors before deciding to use a smart home platform.

6. Consider additional features offered by smart home platforms

Finally, additional functions supported by the smart home platform should be considered. How many smart devices are compatible with this platform? How many integrations are supported? Is it possible to create complex automation? Is it easy to extend the default features provided by the platform? Does it provide local control or is the smart home completely dependent on an Internet connection? You may only require a few of these features, but a smart home platform full of them will serve you well for many years.

If you've been following the smart home industry for a while, you've probably heard of the Matter standard. It's a unified standard from Samsung, Amazon, Google and Apple that allows smart home devices from different manufacturers to communicate with each other. Matter is far from perfect and it still has a long way to go. Once you reach adulthood, however, you'll be able to control a variety of Matter-compatible devices with any smart home platform you choose.

Lesley Montoya

Update 08 June 2024