On Creating Positive Smart Experiences

Chet Pipkin, CEO, Belkin International

- Zachary Chan

We used to have a very clear definition of tech, but with everything being smart today, it’s suddenly gotten a lot bigger in scope…

Yes, it’s gotten really blurry. You might want to spend some time thinking about this. Increasingly, software’s eating the world. The way we buy books, perceive books, read them; from music to videos and even the way we move from point A to point B—are [all] software experiences that’s delivered on hardware. You do still need hardware to get to the edge of the network; to the people, but these experiences that are getting unlocked through the combination of software and hardware platforms, are life experiences as opposed to just a router or a camera.

But many smart products don’t seem to have a point. Sure, you can remotely activate a smart coffee maker, but you still have to physically set it up before and collect your coffee after. Why is this progress?

So I think you’re thinking about this in exactly the right way, but there’s a phenomena that will keep occurring in tech and consumer electronics. When new concepts come to the fore, things get way overhyped for their capabilities in the moment. Then we get fatigued of it, and by the time we’re through that cycle, we’re on to the next hype cycle. And that’s about the time where the previous concept starts to really get traction and adoption in usability.

Won’t this cycle hamper the adoption of products in the end? Especially as tech becomes more accessible to the common consumer that may not appreciate it in the first place.