Belkin’s CEO, Chet Pipkin believes his Company is in an excellent position to take advantage, as the consumer technology market moves to being all about ‘The Internet of Things’.
Pipkin who started Belkin in a garage twisting cables for sale to friends claims that Belkin’s three core categories which today include Linksys network products, WeMo home automation network gear and Belkin accessories and devices puts Belkin in an excellent position to compete in what he describes as a changing market for consumer electronic products.
Pipkin who was in Australia yesterday believes that Belkin’s networking and home automation technology will allow the US Company to partner with organisations who are looking to connect devices to home networks.
He said that Belkin had developed a software platform that allows partner’s products to be easily networked whether it be lighting system, appliance or heating or cooling product.
He said that Belkin would act like Apple does in the Curation of products that go onto their network.
“There are bad products and good products and we will curate which of these products are best suited for the WeMo network. Apple does this with their apps and people trust Apple products”.
Pipkin said that at a retail level a great deal of education will have to go into helping retail staff explain what “The Internet of Things” is all about.
At a networking level the Company is now educating consumers that if they want to take advantage of faster Wi Fi speeds and above all avoiding drop out because there are so many devices on a home network that the only way to get efficient broadband speeds is to upgrade to new technology.
Pipkin said “We have to deliver clarity around our brands and we are delivering open standard opportunities for partners to take advantage of the technology that Belkin is already delivering”.
Belkin who appear to be a head of the likes of Samsung, LG and Google who last year acquired the Nest automation Company recognise that going forward they face tough competition “from some very big brands” said Pipkin.
“We do have an advantage as we have been developing our technology for some time, we are already in the market with both a network product and an automation product and this is a big advantage” he added.
When asked about the fast growing wearable market Pipkin said that he would prefer to partner with organisations including clothing Companies who want a technology partner.
When asked whether Belkin which is a private Company had the funding and was in a position to fund the growth into new markets while funding the expansion of Linksys and WeMo Pipkin said”This is a very good question and it is something that we have been looking at a lot lately”.
