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Mobile apps benefit consumers, dealers and installers By Spencer Ives P eople value convenience, and in many cases in the security space that means connectivity to mobile devices. e xecutives from Bosch and Hon- eywell talked with Security Systems News about the ways mobile apps are evolving in the security space, from replacing existing technologies to further benefiting dealers and installers. "It's about convenience for the end user," Ilan Dee, director of product mar- keting, cloud services, Honeywell Secu- rity and Fire, told SSN. "The future of the security and home automation space is around conve- nience," Dee said. "You want your secu- rity system to work in the background and only alert you, and only be involved, when you need to interact with it." a pps are changing the way users inter- act with panels and could replace keypads, in some cases, "because you can do a lot of the same functionality that you could previously do on the keypad [and] you always have your phone with you, for the most part," p aul Garms, director of regional marketing – intrusion systems with Bosch Security Systems, told SSN. Bosch has two mobile apps geared to end users, Garms said. Remote Security Control, connects users to the company's intrusion panel and allows them to view live video from connected Bosch I p cam- eras, Garms said. Remote Security p lus, Bosch's second app, includes Remote Security Control's features as well as con- necting other home automation systems. "There's been functionality on the key- pad that you don't have on the app, but I can see, as the apps evolve and become more sophisticated, a lot of users may opt to never install a keypad for their security system," Garms continued. Honeywell's Dee also sees the potential for app functionality to influence panel design. "[Now,] we're in a mobile-first gen- eration. The need to have that touchscreen on your security panel somewhat goes away, in some circumstanc- es." H o n e y w e l l 's m a i n end user-facing app is its Total Connect 2.0, which allows users to arm and disarm the panel, as well as control connected home devices. Honey- well developed the app throughout 2016 with monthly additions including new push notifications and integrations, such as with a ugust's smart lock and SkyBell's video doorbell. I n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 6 , H o n e y w e l l unveiled its l yric Gateway panel, which only features a keypad and allows users additional home controls through Honey- well's Total Connect 2.0 app. The simpli- fied panel also opens the possibility for an easier set-up and install. a pps are not only for the consumer, but have potential for integrators in the installing space. "That's certainly one area that we see developing in the future," Garms said. Bosch doesn't offer an app in this category currently but is looking into it, he continued. "There is a big push now … in the industry of: as margins become tighter at the integrator level they're looking for higher efficiencies in their installation process," Sean Murphy, Bosch Security Systems' director of regional marketing – video systems, told SSN. "The apps are one way they're looking at potentially providing that, so they can do more installations quicker, they have more flexibility on site, and things generally take less time." Honeywell Security and Fire's a lice DeBiasio said that many of Honeywell's mobile app users are residential but the company also sees demand in the small- to-medium business space. Bosch sees similar demographics. Mobile apps are essentially a "require- ment" in the residential space, Murphy said, as well as predominant in the SMB market. a pps are driven by the residential mar- ket, according to Murphy. "I would say that the residential apps, from a feature standpoint and cool things you can do, tend to be a little bit more on the bleeding edge," he said. a pps become an RMR opportunity for dealers through making users more engaged, stickier cus- t o m e r s t h a t b e t t e r understand the value of their system, accord- ing to Debiasio, as well as being a platform to offer additional ser- vices that drive more RMR. "From a mon- etization standpoint [dealers] could have tiered types of offer- ings," she said. Bosch's Murphy predicted that app features will generally fall into one of two levels. o n one level is the standard mobile app features that consumers expect to have, such as remote arming and disarming. a nother set of features would be "premium" features, which users would be willing to pay for or cause them to pick a certain company, he said. Bosch offers the feature to run forensic searches on other cameras; this would be an example of a premium feature, he said. e xpectations of a mobile app will grow and expand, making premium features more standard over time, according to Murphy. Dee predicted that systems will see more automation in the future. "[Secu- rity is] not a fully automated experience yet," he said. "You're still having to go in and arm your security system or disarm your security system. To me, the future of this business is true home automation." Dee continued, "I think data becomes a very important discussion as apps move forward and as platforms move forward— the apps are collecting more data than they've ever done before—and how they can use that data to learn and help the user." SSN "There's been functionality on the keypad that you don't have on the app, but I can see, as the apps evolve and become more sophistacated, a lot of users may opt to never install a keypad for their security system." —Paul Garms, Bosch Security Systems Ilan Dee Paul Garms Alice DeBiasio Sean Murphy (866) 575-4689 • dotworkz.com SOLD WORLDWIDE Extending the life of your equipment since 1998 Outdoor Cameras Outdoor Housings 4K, IR, and LPR Cameras Minidome 30' Extension Pole: No ladder Required - Cleans in Seconds Seconds (DW-EP30) Dome Cleaner Package (DW-PKG1) Lens Cleaning Solution (DW-SLTN) Dome Cleaner Head (DW-CLNR) DomeWizard 3 Mitt Pack (DW-3MIT) Indoor Mini Domes A Quick & Easy Camera Lens Cleaning Tool that works on all Mini Domes, PTZ, Outdoor, and Other Specialty Camera Types. Sold Worldwide! COMMUNITY. Where passionate security and life safety professionals gather to get business done. JUNE 13-16 NASHVILLE | MUSIC CITY CENTER TO JOIN THE ESX EASIER. 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