The Home Innovation Challenge Research and Analysis
1. Nest
Nest Labs is an American manufacturer of smart home products including thermostats, smoke detectors, and security systems including smart doorbells and smart locks. at Google Nest they make products that are both attractive , very useful and easy to use. the app allows you to control your google nest thermostat, control your google nest security system and see your home with the google next cam where you also recieve alerts and notifications straight to your iphone or ipad.
Both the website and mobile app are well structured, organised and have a clean simple layout that is easy to navigate.
The reviews i have found say that is it a great app to have and helps with many home improvement/innovation aspects, although the app is known to drain phone battery, and have reoccurring bugs.
Unlike the subtle minimal colour scheme of the webste, the mobile app seems to be a lot more vibrant in colour, with bright colours differentiating between pages and product applications in the app.
The vibrant colours help the user to navigate to what they are looking for a lot easier than if they app was all the same colour. the colours shown above are known to have specific meanings and encourage feelings that i think have been considered when designing the application. For example blue is the colour of trust, green the colour of growth and security, and orange; the colour of encouragement, warmth and excitement. Although the different parts of the app have separate uses of colour, there is a reoccurring theme throughout that ensures the user that they are still in the right place, for example the easy to navigate layout and the clean, modern san serif typeface used throughout. The san serif typeface is legible and easy to read against the bright backgrounds used.
Within the app store the genre category of the app comes under lifestyle. The apps primary goal is to relieve users of extra stress such as thinking “did i leave the heating on?” “did i lock the door?” as the app takes care of this and allows you to do everything from your iPhone/ipad.
On the apple store website the app states to have only an average of 2.3 out of a 5 star rating with a list of mixed reviews. One main competitor for Nest is Philips Hue, where the app has an average rating of 4.5 stars.
2. Hue
Transform the way you experience light with Philips Hue. Philips Hue offers a wide range of smart light bulbs, lamps, fixtures and accessories. Whether it’s for your living room, your kitchen, your bathroom or your garden, Philips Hue has the perfect light. With the app you can easily organise the individual lights in specific rooms, for example switch them on/off or change the colour and brightness to match your mood. this is all able to be done on hand by using your iphone, ipad or apple watch.
The website is well structured, organised and has a clean simple layout opposed to the mobile app that is incredibly vibrant.
The app is straight forward, simple and easy to use and easy to navigate through the vibrant use of colour throughout as seen above. the average rating of the app is 4.5 stars out of 5 suggesting that users find this a good app that is simple enough to use. the only negative reviews i have found states that the application isnt as simple to use on the apple watch as it is on the iphone. overall the app seems to be effective in achieving its purpose.
Unlike the minimal design of the website, the mobile app is incredibly vibrant with bright colours differentiating between parts of the home, and the individual rooms.
The vibrant colours help the user to navigate to what they are looking for a lot easier than if they app was all the same colour. the vibrancy is also relevant to the purpose of the app which ties it all together nicely. the colours of the seperate buttons are within the theme of a colour wheel, as shown above there are colour wheels within the app to give more options of the colour scheme that matches their mood for the room. this has been considered when designing the application design. Although the different parts of the app have separate uses of colour, there would be no doubt to the user that they are still in the right place, the modern san serif typeface used throughout adds a simplicity aspect to the design as to avoid the app being ‘too much’. The san serif typeface is legible and easy to read against the vibrant backgrounds used.
Within the app store the genre category of the app comes under lifestyle. The sites primary goal is to match the users mood with a specific colour surrounding the room, the lights turn on when the user enters the house and then turns off when the house is empty. The app takes care of this and allows you to do everything from your iPhone/ipad, apple watch.
On the app store the app has a of 4.5 out of a 5 star rating. this gives me the impression that users get enjoyment out of the app and that it is one of the leading apps in its category. not many apps have a colour wheel of options to light your home.
3. Honeywell
Honeywell Home connected products simplify home comfort, security and awareness by allowing easy control with a single app. their devices include T5 & T6 Series Thermostats, C1 Wifi security camera, C2 wifi security camera and wifi water leak & freeze detector.
The app is well structured, organised and has a clean simple layout with a continued colour theme throughout.
The app is easy to navigate due to the straight forward and deatiled layouts however i myself found it difficult to navigate through the website, it wasnt attractive to look as and looks poorly put together in my opinion and just a list of products. Some reviews state that the app continuously has new bugs in the system however the app has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 star rating so other users must find the app easy to use, overall it is effective in achieving its purpose.
The app has a clean simple layout with a continued colour theme throughout, the majority of the app is white with the odd colour here and there, mostly being orange or blue. the colours may have been used on purpose due to their meanings, for example blue is known to be the colour of trust, and orange, the colour of encouragement, warmth and excitement. the reoccurring style throughout keeps the app clean, simple and easy to understand. The typeface doesnt particularly stand out but the overall design of the app works well.
Within the app store the genre category of the app comes under lifestyle. The sites primary goal is to make things easier and simpler within the household. The app takes care of this and allows you to do a number of things from your hand held devices.
Some reviews state that the app continuously has new bugs in the system however the app has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 star rating so other users must find the app easy to use, overall it is effective in achieving its purpose. a possible competitor could be google home as the apps are very similar in purpose
4. Alexa
Alexa is a smart assistant that listens to, and responds to voice commands, giving you answers, reminders and offering other useful information when you need it. One of the most common uses for Alexa is answering quick questions, like “what’s the weather like tomorrow”, or “what time does Tesco close?”. It can also sync with your Google or Apple calendars to manage your appointments and provide reminders. Instead of having inbuilt apps like your smartphone, Alexa has ‘skills’ that allow her to connect to tons of third-party services from Spotify to Domino’s pizza. Alexa acts as a smart home hub — connecting to a huge range of connected devices, from light bulbs to coffee makers, and letting you control them with your voice.
the Amazon Alexa app is used to set up Alexa enabled devices, listen to music, create shopping lists, get news updates and more. the main uses for the app include managing devices, music and books, organising your day and staying connected.
the app is well structured with a simple yet attractive aesthetic that will encourage users to want to use it.
The app is straight forward, simple and easy to navigate. the icons at the bottom of the page allows users to simply move throughout the app to find what they are looking for. the average rating of the app is 4.5 stars out of 5 suggesting that users find this a good app that is simple enough to use. the only negative review i have found stated that a section in the app has been changed into subsection therefore more thinking and clicking being required, overall the app seems to be effective in achieving its purpose.
The dark blue/green background is easier on the eye patnered with white type, which would allow the user to navigate easily. There is a reoccurring colour theme throughout that ensures the user that they are still in the right place, the app is minimal in design but with a dark coloured background it doesnt look plain or boring. it has a splash of colour on the home page to differeniate between the different rooms in the house. the sanserif typeface is legible and easy to read on the dark background and the simple logo/icons make it easier to navigate for users.
Within the app store the genre category of the app comes under music although i thin it is more suited to lifestyle. The sites primary goal is to make things easier and simpler within the household along with connecting to home devices. The app takes care of this and allows you to do a number of things from your hand held devices.
On the app store the app has a 4.3 out of a 5 star rating. the reviews are mostly good and the only downfall to the app is the time it takes to set it up. a possible competitive could be Google Home as the applications are similar.
5. Google Home
Google Home is a brand of smart speakers developed by Google. Google Home speakers enable users to speak voice commands to interact with services through Google’s personal assistant software called Google Assistant. A large number of services, both in-house and third-party, are integrated, allowing users to listen to music, control playback of videos or photos, or receive news updates entirely by voice. Google Home devices also have integrated support for home automation, letting users control smart home appliances with their voice. Multiple Google Home devices can be placed in different rooms in a home for synchronized playback of music.
the google home app allows you to control google home devices as well as connected home products such as lights, cameras, thermostats and more.
The google app and website are both very similar in appearance, they are minimal in design and colour. the minimal colour scheme doesn't draw attention any from the purpose of the app.
The website is easy to navigate due to the photography used, though i think it would be difficult with less photography due to the minimal design and information given. however the lack to colour and design gives the website an elegant/chiq look. the app home page seems very simple to start navigating from also with recognisable logo icons so i would say that it is effective in achieving its purpose.
The google home app is minimal in design and colour with a focus on the colour white. The minimal colour scheme doesn’t draw attention any from the purpose of the app but in my opinion isnt very attractive to look at. it has an unfinished appearance and looks technical based. The website includes photography which makes it more appealing, I think the app would benefit from more image based design, the app home page seems very simple to navigate due to recognisable logo icons. the sanserif typeface is legible and easy to read on the white background, however the overall design in my opinion could be more creative. Apart from the design aspects i think that the overall app is effective in achieving its purpose.
Within the app store the genre category of the app comes under lifestyle. The sites primary goal is to make things easier and simpler within the household. The app takes care of this and allows you to do a number of things from your hand held devices.
On the app store the app has a 4.3 out of a 5 star rating. the reviews are mostly good and the only downfall to the app is the time it takes to set it up. a possible competitive could be the company ‘Nest’ as the applications are similar.
6. Ring
Ring Next-level security is the next generation of video doorbells that allows you to see, hear and speak to visitors from anywhere. With instant mobile alerts and two-way talk, you can answer the door from your smartphone, tablet and PC. Instant mobile alerts- this is an extreme disadvantage to the app so it notifies you about everything. 1080HD wide-angle video, Built-in microphone and speakers Monitor Your Home From Anywhere.
Ring lets you adjust your motion sensors so you can find the ideal setting for your home. You’ll get instant alerts when motion is detected, allowing you to protect your property from the comfort of your smartphone. Adjustable motion sensors Infrared night vision Live View on-demand video and audio Smart Security for Every Home Video Doorbell 2 works on any home and includes a quick-release rechargeable battery, so you can charge your Doorbell without removing the device.
both the website and app are very similar in appearance, they are minimal and include ore photography than pattern/colour design. the app and website colour theme are within the logo colour scheme, helping users to know that they are in the right place. the minimal colour scheme dont draw attention any from the purpose of the app.
the app and website are both easy to navigate due to the simple layouts however reviews state that the connection can be bad, decreasing the amount of users that want to use it but overall it is effective in achieving its purpose.
The app is very minimal in appearance, it is mainly blue, white and grey in keeping with the logo colours. the minimal colour scheme doesn’t draw attention away from the purpose of the app. the clean drawn logo icons are easy to recognise and understand and the sans serif typeface is legible and easy to read. personally i dont think that the app design catched your eye but it is a security app so in keeping with theme. the pages are clearly named and the app has a clean, professional look.
Within the app store the genre category of the app comes under utilities. The sites primary goal is to make things at home easier and relax the mind of the user with their well thought out and effective home security system. The app takes care of this and allows you to do everything from your hand held devices.
On the app store the app has a 3.1 out of a 5 star rating. the reviews are mixed, one of the main issues users have with the app inlcude camera quality and connection issues.
