If ISC West last week can tell us anything it is that tradeshows are alive and well. While official numbers have yet to be reported, after comparing notes with other industry friends we’ve agreed that this year’s show boasted the best attendance in years, including pre-pandemic shows. Not only did ISC West provide a great platform for members to showcase their products and share news, but it also gave Z-Wave evangelists a perfect platform to continue to discuss the importance of standards.
As part of the Security Industry Association’s education program, I joined Mariusz Malkowski, CTO and Founder of Trident IoT and Abe Kinney, Senior Director, Product Management at Alarm.com for a session on “the wireless wars”. While Z-Wave has presented similar sessions at other shows, what has been consistent across all sessions is that dealers and industry professionals continue to have questions about what the protocol playground will look like moving forward and what is means for them. None of us can predict exactly how manufacturers and consumers alike will respond to the variety of devices and protocols – but what we do know is the importance of the Z-Wave Alliance to have a presence at industry events and to be leading conversations like this one.
We were not the only ones evangelizing the benefits of Z-Wave; several members had new product announcements and showcased their Z-Wave solutions prominently in their booths. SmartRent announced the launch of its Alloy SmartHome Leak Sensor+ which features ZWLR, Yale introduced the Yale Pro 2 with Z-Wave connectivity, DEN Smart Home announced their SmartStrike has passed Z-Wave Certification, and Trident IoT completed a round of funding and has been approved as a new Z-Wave certification house. We loved seeing Z-Wave solutions prominently displayed by Johnson Controls, Axis Communications, and Lockly.
Last but not least, ISC West was a great preview of how fun it will be to connect at the Z-Wave Summit in just a few weeks. Thank you to everyone who joined the Z-Wave Crew at Cañonita on Thursday. Special thank you to our reception sponsor Silicon Labs who made those delicious Z-Wave-Aritas possible!
If you missed out on ISC West, not to worry – there are more opportunities for you to get in front of key audiences. Z-Wave has partnered with Emerald on the Connectivity Pavilion at CEDIA Expo and Z-Wave Alliance Members enjoy preferred pricing on a space. Additionally, it’s never too early to start making plans for CES 2025 – Z-Wave has reserved a ballroom and will soon have details on how members can participate. If you have questions about how to get involved contact jenf@z-wavealliance.org.
