In smart home war, Google and Samsung have opposite strengths

When it comes to connecting home appliances to the Web, fierce competitors Google and Samsung each have something their rival lacks.

Google has struggled with hardware but, thanks to its Android smartphone operating system, the company has amassed a loyal community of developers who could be tapped to create software for the household. Samsung doesn’t boast such clout among programmers, but it has a long history of manufacturing home appliances, including dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines and televisions.

No industry leader has emerged in the nascent connected appliance market, called smart homes or the Internet of things. And there is not yet an online hub where people can turn to connect their homes, in the style of Apple’s App Store. This leaves great opportunity in a market that is predicted to grow from roughly 60 million units this year to more than 190 million units in 2018, according to research firm IHS.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/In-smart-home-war-Google-and-Samsung-have-5895932.php

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