Panasonic Joins Smart Home Race, Launches IoT Platform Miraie

• Panasonic’s Miraie will be up against the likes of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
• The home automation market is likely to cross Rs 30,000 crore by 2022

Panasonic has announced the launch of an IoT and AI enabled platform named Miraie. This launch is backed by the connected AC launches, smart doorbell launches, plugs and switch launches by the Japan-based consumer electronics company.

“The idea is to rapidly win market share. We are not charging any premium for these connected smart appliances and it is a big decision since there is significant investment and cost involved in these products,” stated Manish Sharma, President & CEO, Panasonic India and South East Asia.

The home automation market, as per a report by Research and Markets, is likely to cross Rs 30,000 crore by 2022.

Consumer electronics and the IoT connection

Interestingly, the IoT aka the smart features wave has started hitting almost every consumer electronics product launch. The heavyweights including Samsung, LG and Sony have time and often talked about the same in the recent past.

“Today, most consumers are looking towards IoT (Internet of Things)- enabled solutions to enhance standard of living. Nearly, 75 per cent of these consumers, however, are looking for specific requirements related to ease of use, safety, monitoring misuse, service reminders, and we aim to address all of these through the launch of Miraie,” added Sharma.

The new consumer electronics brands, as a matter of fact, have been setting shops as smart brands only. The likes of Xiaomi and Realme, have also started concentrating on IoT aka smart features.

Xiaomi, at the beginning of this year, had revealed its big plans for 5G, AI, IoT and next generation super internet. The China-based company had said that instead of investing $1.43 billion in above mentioned technologies, is now going to invest around $7.18 billion, on these during the next five years.

“At the beginning of 2019, we talked about going “All in AIoT”, and planned an investment of RMB 10 billion (~USD 1.43 billion) in this field over the next five years. After a year of verification, we are increasing our investment in this. We now believe we will invest at least RMB 50 billion (~USD 7.18 billion) over the five years in “5G+AIoT” to double down on our lead in the field. This is to ensure we win in this new smart era,” had read an open letter posted by Xiaomi’s founder & CEO Lei Jun.