The Revolution of Smart Home Experience
Presented by BroadLink
Revolution of Device Pairing Experience
Tracing the evolution of smart home device pairing technology:
- 2011 | Belkin: Introduced the first generation of device pairing technology for smart homes with AP configuration.
- 2013 | BroadLink SmartConfig™: Enabled 1-button device pairing directly on an app.
- 2018 | BroadLink FastCon™: Allowed for auto device pairing via an app or AI speaker.
- 2019 | BroadLink NoApp™: Achieved device pairing without the need for any third-party apps.
How NoAPP Works
NoAPP offers a streamlined setup process, integrating with popular smart home platforms like Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
For Alexa
Setup Flow:
- Ensure the device is in AP mode (LED is flashing).
- Find the device's Wi-Fi SSID in your phone's Wi-Fi settings and connect to it.
- A landing page will automatically pop up on your phone.
- On the landing page, choose your router's SSID, input your Wi-Fi password, and your email or phone number.
- Proceed with the setup. The landing page will close, and you will receive an email or SMS.
- Tap the link provided in the email/SMS to activate the device and view setup instructions.
- The device is now activated.
- Select Alexa on the page and verify your Alexa credentials.
- Open the Alexa App to control the new device via the app or by voice command through an Alexa speaker.
The system involves your smartphone (running Alexa/Google Home App), an IOT CLOUD, Google/Alexa Cloud services, and your Home Router. The device connects to your phone's Wi-Fi AP, then to the Home Router, and communicates with the IOT CLOUD for activation and control.
For Google Home
Setup Flow:
- Ensure the device is in AP mode (LED is flashing).
- Find the device's Wi-Fi SSID in your phone's Wi-Fi settings and connect to it.
- A landing page will automatically pop up on your phone.
- On the landing page, choose your router's SSID, input your Wi-Fi password, and your email or phone number.
- Proceed with the setup. The landing page will close, and you will receive an email or SMS.
- Tap the link provided in the email/SMS to activate the device and view setup instructions.
- The device is now activated.
- Open the Google Home App and find your smart home skill.
- Enable the skill by inputting your email/phone number and getting an OTP for account linking. (Skip these steps if your phone number is already linked with Google Home App).
- Discover the device and control it on the Google Home App or with a Google Assistant speaker.
Similar to the Alexa flow, this process utilizes the IOT CLOUD and Google/Alexa Cloud services to connect your device to the Google Home ecosystem.
Comparison: NoAPP vs. Traditional Setup
Traditional Setup
Before Purchase
Characteristics: Hard-to-Choose, Doubtable
Prepare for Setup
Requirements: Requires careful reading of manual or experience.
Steps Involved:
- Fully read user manual
- Download app
- Choose a server
- Register an account
- Set up your home
- Select device type (for most of apps)
Then you finally get into the device setup page.
Setup Process
Outcome: Uncertain result & No feedback
- Get only 90% success for 1st try.
- Not know if the device is online or not.
User Privacy
Concerns: Your privacy might be collected.
For example, the app “Smart Life” requires permissions including but not limited to:
- Location
- Photo and video
- Audio recording
- WLAN multicasting
- Bluetooth admin
- Full network access
- Prevent phone sleeping
- Run at startup
- Run foreground service
- Change audio setting
Question: Why do I need to grant so many permissions?
Bugs and Updates
Issues: Unpredictable troubles.
Using traditional apps, you may:
- Face some bugs that make you unhappy or even stop devices working.
- Encounter crashes.
- Need to wait a long time for app updates.
Some bugs or crashes are even caused by OS updating and they are inevitable. Almost no one can guarantee a hassle-free user experience.
Complex Features
Capability: Support full features.
Traditional apps can support all features with devices as they are designed.
NoAPP
Before Purchase
Characteristics: Easy-to-Choose, Trustable
Prepare for Setup
Requirements: Super-easy without learning or experience.
Steps Involved:
- Connect your phone to the device Wi-Fi AP.
Then you get a landing page quickly for setup.
(Screenshot shows a phone's Wi-Fi settings screen with various SSIDs, including "BroadLink_WiFi_Device81f754" highlighted, indicating the device's access point.)
Setup Process
Outcome: Guaranteed success & Always informed
- Get almost 100% success for 1st try.
- Get email/SMS to inform the device is online.
(Screenshot shows a mobile notification: "Messaging - Just now NOTICE [BroadLink] Device is online! Please Tap the link to activate the device: http://bcs.ac/iHeu?p=00447437667552 &c=1735677&q=0044 REPLY MARK AS READ")
User Privacy
Benefit: No App = No privacy concern.
During the use journey, we only require:
- Your Wi-Fi router password.
- Your country (to locate server and specify phone prefix).
- Your phone number or email (as account).
That's done!
Bugs and Updates
Benefit: Real hassle-free.
With a simple web-based interface:
- It never crashes or stops working.
- It can be updated on cloud instantly.
Complex Features
Limitation: Support limited features.
NoAPP is simple and effective, but some complex features cannot be supported.
However, Google Home / Alexa Apps are also evolving and will support more exciting features in the future. For example, Alexa already supports "Routines," which function like triggers in 3rd-party apps.
Contact Information
Company: Hangzhou BroadLink Technology Co., Ltd.
Address: Building C, AI Technology Park, No.57 Jiang'er Road, Binjiang Dist. Hangzhou, PR.China
Phone: +86-571-85159261
Fax: +86-571-86631817
Website: http://www.ibroadlink.com
Email: andy@ibroadlink.com
