Networked Camera Penetration Still at 10%, but DIY Installation on the Rise, Says Parks

Sales of networked cameras will reach 7 million units this year, blogged Parks Associates Thursday, though adoption has remained in the 9-10 percent range in the past five years. Wireless connectivity makes do-it-yourself Wi-Fi camera installation easier for consumers; 68 percent of owners self-installed cameras in Q4 vs. 49 percent in Q4 2016, it said. Retailers including Best Buy have helped raise the profile of the category through experience centers and device displays that demonstrate security and convenience, said analyst Dina Abdelrazik. Among U.S. broadband households planning to buy a networked camera, image quality is the most important factor in the purchase decision; competition in the next stage will hinge on which camera delivers the best user experience and value-driven use cases, said the analyst. The demand for high-quality video will also drive post-purchase revenue opportunities for video storage; today more than 60 percent of networked camera owners pay for video storage services, she said, and a third of camera owners have received a request from friends or family to view or share video from a networked camera. Twenty percent of camera owners control the device with smartphone voice assistant; 19 percent via a smart speaker, said Parks.