60% of Security Systems Bought Last Year Were Self-Installed, Says Parks

Sixty percent of security systems bought in the past two years were self-installed vs. 7% purchased more than six years ago, blogged Parks Associates Thursday. Most do-it-yourself security owners are also self-installing add-on smart home devices, leading companies to expand their product lines to meet demand, said analyst Dina Abdelrazik, citing Abode, Array by Hampton and Blue by ADT. Demand for an easy-to-install, integrated solution is becoming more prevalent in the Apple HomeKit ecosystem, too, in DIY security systems and camera-related devices, she said. The traditional residential security channel is dominated by professionally installed, professionally monitored systems, but smart home device manufacturers are increasingly extending into the security space, said Abdelrazik. Some 33% of U.S. broadband households own a security system, up from 28% in 2018, said Parks.