CEDIA Expo — the gathering of people passionate about all things audio/video, home control, and electronics — ran September 6 – 9 at the San Diego Convention Center, and what an event it was. A perfect location with perfect weather, and next year is slated for the same place. CEDIA activities were many, with more than 140 educational sessions, up 40 percent from last year, and three keynotes, up from one last year. CEDIA sold the show to Emerald Expositions earlier in the year, and this was CEDIA management’s swan song for overseeing show logistics, but they will maintain management and delivery of education at future Expos.
Hot product categories at the show included motorized shades in many sleek, easy-to-install, and inexpensive models; door locks, some with cameras, and video doorbells;Wi-Fi devices for in-ceiling and mesh Wi-Fi; and network security appliances to ward off cyber-threats. There were lighting controls and smart bulbs, along with energy equipment for storage, power quality, and monitoring and management of electricity use. Practically all of these products are accompanied by apps for smart devices, an essential feature for any new product entering this market. Business services also had a significant showing, such as services to find temp workers and facilitate hiring, management of billing and invoicing, warranty servicing, end-user tech support, and recurring revenue opportunities such as SHaaS (Smart Home as a Service).