Blog articles from 09/2019

After years of waiting and planning, the era of 5G has arrived. Within the past 12 months, all four of the major US mobile service providers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint & Verizon) have introduced services. European operators introduced services in countries including Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK and South Korea rolled out 5G services in April. Throughout the globe, carriers have announced plans to have 5G networks operational by the end of 2019 or early 2020. 5G has long...

As connected technology continues to evolve and mature, device manufacturers and providers are shifting their focus beyond young, affluent consumers to another rapidly growing segment of the population – seniors. By the year 2030, people over the age of 65 will comprise 20% of the population in the US. Parks Associates research shows that almost 90% seniors express a desire to live in their own home for as long as possible, and connected health technology and independent living...

During Apple’s September 10th keynote event, several revealing announcements were made. As expected, Apple offered improvements and fresh products to nearly every category of its device lineup, including the next generation of mobile devices and flagship services. However, the most impactful announcements include new details on Apple’s video streaming service and a major price drop for the Apple Watch.  Apple TV+ Comes Out Swinging with Low Price Point and...

Amazon recently announced plans to disconnect Dash buttons from the internet. Initially launched in 2015, Dash buttons are small buttons associated with specific products. They allow Amazon Prime members holders to reorder more of the associated product by simply pressing the button when supplies are running low. Products commonly associated with Dash buttons include laundry detergent, paper towels, and coffee. The Dash button became obsolete with the emergence of suitable...

Parks Associates research shows that 17% of heads of US broadband households are people age 65 or older, and 20% are a current or future caregiver. However, seniors and their caregivers are not typical demographics of focus for consumer technology companies, and healthcare ecosystem players are having to learn how to engage older patients and their caregivers outside the context of medical and long-term care facilities. Almost 90% of seniors identify living in their own home for as...

In 2018, existing smart home households drove the market by expanding their adoption of devices. Households already owning at least one smart home device continued to purchase more devices, bringing the average number of devices in these households to six units compared to 3 devices in 2016. The latest trends and developments in smart home devices and services include expansion of smart technology into the home builder channel, large tech companies taking measures to increase their...

The recent rise of insurtechs has spurred modernization in the fundamentals of insurance, including policy creation, underwriting, and claims management. Insurtechs, such as Hippo and Lemonade, have implemented AI and data analytics to provide quick and accurate quotes to their customers while also decreasing their own operating costs. Such innovation has disrupted the traditional insurance industry and has helped alter underlying business models of legacy companies, forcing them to...