In a new updated report by market research firm Strategy Analytics, the global smart home market is said to have had a great 2017 and updated forecasts expect industry sales of this technology to continue to rise ever higher to an expected $155 billion by 2023.
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Gibson Hits a Sour Note with Philips & Creditors
Gibson, as Strata-gee previously reported, filed for bankruptcy protection on May 1st in a pre-negotiated package with principal noteholders of the company’s substantial debt – debt that was now in default. But while that deal suggested a smooth path for the case through the bankruptcy court, it did not take into account the position of unsecured creditors, and especially Philips who describes itself as the largest unsecured creditor in the matter.
See more on the discord in Gibson’s bankruptcy proceedings… [Read more…] about Gibson Hits a Sour Note with Philips & Creditors
AudioControl to Launch 70-Volt Amp at Its First InfoComm
Move to Drive Share of Commercial Channel
AudioControl, a scrappy and innovative maker of electronics solutions for residential, commercial, and automotive applications, said today that it will show its commercial products at InfoComm 2018 taking place next week in Las Vegas, NV. Although the company has been involved in the commercial market for years, this is the first time they’ve displayed at InfoComm in a bid to further build their share of the commercial channel.
See more on this bold move by AudioControl… [Read more…] about AudioControl to Launch 70-Volt Amp at Its First InfoComm
Scope This Out – CEDIA Needs Your Help on Survey
CEDIA announced this week that they are now open for participation in their annual 2018 CEDIA Size and Scope of the Residential Electronic Systems market survey. CEDIA needs all integrators to help them collect helpful industry data for the benefit of us.
See more on this important tool that helps define the custom integration market… [Read more…] about Scope This Out – CEDIA Needs Your Help on Survey
Glowacki Out as Editor of Residential Systems
BREAKING NEWS
Major Restructuring at Leading Publication by New Owners
This week, subscribers of the digital version of Residential Systems Magazine are getting more than the usual expert advice and latest news on the custom integration business in their newly received June issue – they’re getting a farewell message from the magazine’s editor-in-chief – and founding editor – Jeremy Glowacki. In a surprise move, new owners Future Plc, a global British media company, has launched an aggressive restructuring program which, as is typically the case, has resulted in staff cuts at multiple levels, up to Glowacki’s senior position.
See more on this shocking exit of a popular CI industry editor… [Read more…] about Glowacki Out as Editor of Residential Systems
Sonos v. HEOS – War is Over, Peace Has Come
On Friday last week, we learned that Sonos and D&M Holdings have settled their litigation, first begun in October 2014. Although the terms of the settlement are confidential, all actions taken by each party are now moot.
It is likely that the parties now enjoy some form of licensing arrangement that put all adversarial issues behind them.
See more on what we know about the end of the Sonos and D&M patent war… [Read more…] about Sonos v. HEOS – War is Over, Peace Has Come
9 Years After Recession, Americans Still Feel Frugal
My grandparents lived through the Great Depression (1929-1939) and it changed their lives forever. As kids, we used to think they were weird. They never threw anything away. Bent nail? “I can hammer it straight again!” Small amount of left-over paint? “You can add thinner and turn it into plenty of white wash.” Hole in a sock? They would darn it! Clearly, dealing with that time of great financial distress changed forever the way they felt about money, spending, and saving.
Since the last recession in 2009, Gallup has been conducting a poll on Americans’ attitude on spending. Read on to see the results – they just might surprise you…
See the results of the latest Gallup poll showing American frugality continues… [Read more…] about 9 Years After Recession, Americans Still Feel Frugal
Sonos Cuts Nearly 100 Employees or 6% of Staff
BREAKING NEWS
Sonos Inc. confirmed late yesterday that it has cut 6% of its staff, or 96 employees, just days before a highly anticipated public offering expected as early as next month. The cuts are said to have been across all department and at all levels.
See more on what we know about the Sonos staff cuts… [Read more…] about Sonos Cuts Nearly 100 Employees or 6% of Staff
Painting the Gibson Bankruptcy by the Numbers
We have been closely following – first Gibson Guitar and then Gibson Brands – from their decision in 2012 to shoot for the stars by using OPM (other people’s money) to make highly leveraged…and highly questionable…acquisitions of various consumer electronics brands (a category in which the CEO and his team had no experience) to their recent 2018 bankruptcy. Gibson was trying to diversify their musical instrument business into something that now former CEO Henry Juszkiewicz called a music lifestyle brand. Instead, they wound up in bankruptcy.
Let’s look at what some of the numbers in the Gibson filings reveal… [Read more…] about Painting the Gibson Bankruptcy by the Numbers
Who Launched New Experience Centers Yesterday?
Yesterday, a major manufacturer who is very influential in the industry announced it was launching a series of “Experience Centers” across the country to help promote its brand. Perhaps you think I’m referring to Control4, who did announce such a program yesterday in partnership with 140 integrators around the country. But no, I’m referring to Amazon.com, who has partnered with one of the largest home builders in this country – Lennar – to build Amazon Experience Centers all around the U.S.
