What Tesla and Apple Got Right for IoT Products

Connected product functionality is really about reliable and secure device management. Both Apple and Tesla have gotten it right. Product manufacturers can follow there lead with the following two key points.

Design for future functionalityLimiting imagination in the early days of product specifications can quickly constrain a product’s flexibility in the future. I am not saying to do everything all at once, but I am saying that considering device management as the first phase of connected product design can unleash functionality that otherwise would be missed or would require retroactive work once needed.By taking inspiration from companies such as Tesla or Apple and by designing a product with device management in mind, companies can add new and powerful features to their product as customers demand them or as engineering develops them.

Through thoughtful device management, Apple and Tesla enable new business models that create recurring revenue; beyond the phone, Apple picks up additional dollars every week through their subscribers in music, videos and app sales. Each phone receives the right app, the right upgrade version, etc. Tesla has been stuffing their vehicles with data-gathering sensors that customers don’t have access to today, but through those sensors and device management, the data they collect could eventually be made available through annual subscriptions.

If Tesla suddenly offered Ludicrous Mode or auto pilot on an annual subscription, people could upgrade their standard model vehicle anytime, without having to wait for the next version of the product. This same concept should be considered when initially designing your connected product.2. Protect your brandDevice management forms a direct relationship between the developer and the customer that previously required a distributor as a ‘middle man’ for most revenue expansion opportunities.

But this also puts your brand in the limelight and therefore requires utmost attention to security to avoid risk. Security isn’t just about encrypting data packets, it’s about ensuring the two ends of the link are validated, authenticated and authorized. It’s about ensuring that the firmware and licenses delivered to a device are enabled for only that one single device.

Device management is tough; it has to be robust since manually power cycling a sensor on the other side of the world isn’t as straight forward as it is when you are next to the device.It doesn’t take much to include device management capabilities in your first connected product, particularly if your selected IoT platform embeds it in the operating system. But thinking about this early on can make a world of difference! Whichever platform you choose, try to take a test drive.

Zentri has a series of workshops available in Oct and Nov in partnership with IBM and Avnet to get you working on an end-to-end IoT platform experience from development to management to cloud service analysis. If interested in an affordable (only $99) full-day, hands-on experience, check out the details here

·RELATED QUESTION

How do I design a smart home device product as a startup?

DECIDE WHAT SMART HOME INSTALL SERVICES YOU WILL SELLOne of the first questions you need to answer before entering the smart home installation world is what smart home products are you planning on installing? The range is extensive and might include:Multi-room music systemsSmart fire & smoke detectorsSmart flood detectorsWiFi networksSmart window dressings controlSmart thermostatsSmart lighting controlSmart security alarm systemsAnd so on………After you have decided what to sell; you’ll also need to a unique selling proposition (USP) and should be specific to a particular target base of customers.For instance; some electrical contractors and alarm companies are marketing their services to people over 65, who require smart home products to improve their quality of life