Trends and forecasts in the safety space in 2019

Indians have been known to have a reactive attitude towards securing their homes. Unless prompted by an external factor, we usually don’t have it on our priority list. However, that perception is gradually seeing a shift. Given our present lifestyle and the increasing adoption of digitisation in the world around us, people want to be connected with our near and dear ones all the time. The trend has also spawned a new generation of home security solutions which enable homeowners to even access their homes remotely through smart devices.

Some key trends expected to emerge in 2019 in this space are as follows-

Convenience and ease of operation: These were few of the bigimpediments to the proactive adoption of home security. However, with the advent of Do It Yourself and Plug N Play systems, consumers have the opportunity to buy a DIY security system at a far lesser cost than ever before. This category will continue to witness popularity in the future as well.

App-based security solutions: Use of app-based smart security solutions will see a surge in popularity in coming years. We have seen that in residential setups, it’s not possible for individuals to monitor the video feeds round-the-clock. Thanks to the advent of new age technology, nowadays, smartphone notifications alert homeowners not just in case of suspicious activities in their absence, but even in cases like where battery needs to be replaced or in the event of motion or smoke detection, thus facilitating round-the-clock monitoring.

Data privacy: With the introduction of GDPR and India’s attempt to draft its own Data Protection Bill, data privacy is finally becoming a serious and much talked about issue in our country. In the past, people have had reservations about storing their personal data. Majority of solutions offered by fly by night operators tend to stream or store data through data servers based on international borders. This poses a severe threat to the security of the data and makes it privy to data leaks. Therefore, in 2019, solutions which use Indian data centres will be preferred by customers who are concerned about data privacy.

Home automation: This is becoming a massive trend in security space due to its integration ability and the convenience that it brings to the users. Many players are offering packages which combine security and home automation options.

Interactive/Connected Security Platforms: Connected spaces are increasingly becoming a huge USP for the millennials. Smart access systems and video door phones that allow users the functionality of remote operations will be preferred choice in the future. Consumers today request for features such as direct video streaming to smartphones, two-way communication, lock/unlock option directly from the app, etc. Similarly, smart homes are creating a market for a unified system for home security.

Mehernosh Pithawalla
Vice-President and Global Head - Marketing, Sales and Innovation, Godrej Security Solutions