If you are old enough to remember the world before smartphones, you probably also remember first-generation home security systems. They were effective enough for their time. But they pale in comparison to what the modern home security industry offers. We have smartphones to thank for that, at least in part.
The smartphone was quite a technological achievement in and of itself. But once other industries started understanding that smartphones were just small, portable computers, they began developing ways to use the devices to enhance their own products and services. Once the home security industry embraced the smartphone, everything changed.
The Security Systems of Old
First-generation security systems were in all honesty pretty basic. They consisted of perimeter sensors and CCTV cameras. The sensors were mounted on windows and doors to detect unauthorized entry. Meanwhile, the cameras kept an electronic eye on everything.
Here is the big difference between then and now: back then, a homeowner would arm his system and forget about it. Once he left home, his property was entirely in the hands of those sensors and cameras. An attempted break-in would sound an alarm the entire neighborhood would hear. Yet the homeowner would be none the wiser unless his system was connected to a remote monitoring center from which he received a phone call.
Today, homeowners can stay connected to their homes continuously through mobile apps. Take Vivint’s HomeProtect package. It includes the powerful Vivint app, an app that puts total system control in the hands of the homeowner by way of his smartphone.
3 Things the App Does
Bringing smartphones into the equation has entirely changed the home security paradigm. With a mobile app like Vivint’s, consumers can do three things that were simply impossible with first-generation systems:
1. Control Devices
Every device in the home security ecosystem is accessible via smartphone. From anywhere in the world, a homeowner can control each device individually. For example, maybe the angle of one of his security cameras is not quite right. Perhaps a squirrel was climbing on it and knocked it to one side. With his phone, the homeowner can remotely realign the camera.
Device control extends beyond security equipment. If a home is equipped with a smart thermostat, it can be adjusted with the app. A smart lock can be activated and deactivated with a simple swipe or tap. The list goes on.
2. View Video Feeds
Returning to video cameras for a minute, those with live video capabilities can be monitored in real time on a homeowner’s phone. Do you want to know whether the kids are doing their homework at the kitchen table? Grab your phone and bring up the feed. Interested in checking in on the dog? Bring up the app.
The ability to monitor video feeds in real time is game-changing. From checking in on things to viewing cameras when an alert goes off, a homeowner always has access to live feeds showing exactly what is going on at home.
3. Integration and Programming
To me, the most important aspect of all of this is the unifying nature of the app. When you have an app like Vivint’s, all of your devices are integrated into a single ecosystem. This means two things: you can program them together and create automations involving multiple devices, triggers, scripts, etc. This was never possible with first-generation systems.
The smartphone has truly changed how we both use and understand home security. In my view, it is the best thing to have happened to home security since the industry first launched some 50+ years ago.
