Parks looks at IP camera sales, DIY's impact

An estimated 7.7 million standalone and all-in-one networked/IP cameras will be sold in the U.S. in 2018, with $889 million in revenues, according to research from Parks Associates entitled Smart Product Market Assessment: Networked Cameras.

“Networked cameras have experienced a positive growth rate over the last year—2018 is expected to witness a roughly 11 percent increase in unit sales from the year prior,” Dina Abdelrazik, research analyst, Parks Associates, told Security Systems News. “Overall, the broadband household penetration rate is estimated at 9 percent in 2017 and is expected to nearly triple by 2023. Furthermore, the CAGR rate for all-in-one camera purchases from 2018 to 2023 is about 19 percent.”

Abdelrazik noted that advances in image recognition and ease of self-installation, combined with a strong user experience, “are driving increased adoption, with retail channels (online and in-store) starting to dominate sales,” she said. “IP cameras are key security-related devices and provide peace of mind to consumers. As such, these devices are consistently among the most popular smart home devices.”

While retail channels dominate (approximately two-thirds) in terms of channel purchase locations for consumers, security dealers were the next option, followed closely by “broadband service provider” and “direct from manufacturer.”

According to Parks' findings, DIY cameras represent the majority of sales as these products are improving consumer experiences for installation, setup and usage. The good news for security dealers is that consumers still value recommendations and setup assistance, as 7 out of 10 consumers planning to buy a networked/IP camera would consider recommendations from an insurance or security company to be “important or very important,” according to Parks.

“Standalone IP cameras, video doorbells, and all-in-one cameras all provide an added layer of security for the home alongside security systems,” said Abdelrazik. “Security dealers have an opportunity to offer these products during their sales or installation processes to educate the consumer on the value of the device, as well as enhance the overall utility of the security system.”

She continued, “The attachment rate of video cameras and home control products to new security systems continues to climb, as does the incremental RMR from video services. Video provides unique value to consumers. Once consumers have the ability to check in to see a live view of their home from anywhere in the world, it is hard to give up that experience.”

Parks' market assessment notes that voice integration and the development of AI as it relates to image and sound recognition will drive the next generation of networked cameras. For example, more than 80 percent of consumers who own or plan to buy a networked camera consider image or sound recognition abilities to identify safety and security events (like glass breaking or a person falling) to be appealing or very appealing, Parks found.

Looking forward, Abdelrazik said AI and the integration of voice control “will help drive further engagement with consumers, which will continue to drive positive consumer experiences. While consumer privacy concerns do exist with networked/IP cameras, we project double-digit growth for the IP camera market, as consumer familiarity rises, price points continue to drop, and millennials buy homes, acquire pets, and begin having families.”