(Image Credit: Hive)
Hive, a British Gas innovation, has announced the availability of new smart home products for its 'Honeycomb' IoT platform. Now available for purchase is the Hive Active Plug™ and the Hive Window/Door Sensor, with the Hive Motion Sensor also joining the line-up from 9th February.
The new products join Hive's existing Active Heating™ smart thermostat and help to deliver a more complete smart home ecosystem. Kassir Hussain, Director of Centrica Connected Home UK, said: “We all fit a phenomenal amount into our daily lives, not least in the mornings which can be one of the most hectic times of the day. Gadgets and appliances are intended to make our lives easier, so the fact they’re slowing us down and afflicting us with niggling doubts is a problem.”
Hive's launch of the Active Plug™ will allow devices to be turned on and off as required – or just check their current status whilst away from home to ensure nothing has been left on which could be dangerous or increase your electricity bill.
(Image Credit: Getty Images)
Research conducted by Populus of 2,000 nationally representative UK adults in November 2015, points towards "power paranoia" having an impact on their lives. The study reveals that more than a third (36%) of us repeatedly check that electronic devices such as hair straighteners and chargers are switched off before leaving the house, whilst almost a quarter (23%) admit that power paranoia can ruin their day.
IoT platforms like Hive allow users to remotely monitor their home, and even be alerted if devices have been left on and no motion has been detected in the house for some time. Devices which do not have an internet presence has led to 15% of surveyed individuals phoning housemates and relatives to check they had switched everything off in their absence.
Hussain says, "We’ve created the Hive Active Plug™ and the Hive Window or Door Sensor to fit seamlessly into people’s lives – to give them new ways to control and monitor their homes, wherever they are. That’s the job of connected home products: to restore people’s peace of mind and provide reassurance when it’s needed most.”
Despite the fact British Gas is an energy company, Hive is showing the firm has greater ambitions when it comes to smart homes. Hive's new window/door sensors offer a new level of security by alerting a user if they are opened/closed, whilst also offering home automation potential – such as the ability to switch on lights and devices as soon as you come in the door.
(Image Credit: Getty Images)
As mentioned earlier, a motion sensor will also join Hive's product line-up next month to alert users if a moving person is detected. The motion sensor will be available to purchase online from 9th February, and shipping will commence from the week commencing 22nd February.
The products being launched by Hive today show a great deal of promise for the future – but offer little we haven't seen before in terms of innovation. Hive’s solution is able to stand-out by offering a simple ecosystem to customers, but for those who like more control or to expand their smart home with other devices, they might want to look elsewhere at the moment.
In order to use the devices launched today, Hive's popular thermostat is not required but you will need a 'Hive Hub' which is available separately for £80. The hub, and the devices which connect to it, are based on the Zigbee standard which provides some hope for integration with other smart home devices in the future.
Prices for Hive's current products:
- Active Heating™ Thermostat – £249 (including professional installation from a British Gas engineer.)
- Active Plug™ – £39 each
- Window/Door Sensor – £29 each
- Motion Sensor – £29 each
Moving forward, we'd love to see a home security camera and smart lock from Hive to complete what most people see as the basic smart home set-up. It's clear that Hive has big plans for its platform going forward, and the product launches today are just the beginning.
We should have the new Hive products in for review in the next week – so make sure to keep checking back for a full rundown of what's available. If you're already sold, you can grab the new products from the Hive website.
Do you think Hive is a smart home player to watch? Let us know in the comments.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their IoT use-cases? Attend the IoT Tech Expo World Series events with upcoming shows in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.
