One way or another, many of us already have an element of a smart home, either to connect Alexa to your lighting system so you can execute voice commands, have a fingerprint lock , etc.
Unless you hire a company to design your smart home with their own devices, many of your smart home devices are likely to be from different brands and run on different software.
That would mean you’d have multiple apps to run the different devices, and that’s what Gary Low wants to address with his company, Link. He built a system capable of connecting multiple smart devices that can be controlled from a single application, eliminating the aforementioned hassle.
Find a link
Gary started his idea for LinkUp in 2018 after realizing that smart devices from different brands couldn’t work together. It spoiled the user experience as it could not build a unified smart system to automate its smart devices.
“For example, I couldn’t use my Xiaomi door sensor to activate my Philips smart light bulb,” Gary told Vulcan Post. “Also, I had to use several apps to monitor and control my house, which was awkward.”
Being a business traveler also meant that his wife was left alone at home. So in addition to consolidating all of your smart devices into a single app, you also wanted an improved home alarm system. Therefore, LinkUp was launched in 2019.
An application to control a house
Of course, LinkUp’s remote monitoring system is not that different from others on the market that offer similar features. The start stands out with its LinkUp Hub, a control center for managing all smart home devices, including security systems.
To do this, your LinkUp SmartHub connects to a router via WiFi, and you can connect up to 300 devices to your SmartHub via WiFi, Zigbee, or Bluetooth. Once paired, users can use the LinkUp app to control and interact with all configured devices.
Did you know: Zigbee is a low-cost, wireless mesh wireless networking standard aimed at battery-powered devices in wireless control and monitoring applications.
It integrates different devices through the open APIs provided by these devices. Regardless of the brand, users can control their devices through the LinkUp app.
API means an application program interface. It allows different programs to interact with each other. It has become a common place for companies to provide open APIs, allowing other programs to interact with their data and processes through these APIs.
Since the start is still in its infancy, the LinkUp team will help set up the SmartHub with the client devices. “However, we are working so that users can set up the integration themselves,” Gary added.
LinkUp is by no means the first to create a control center for smart home devices. Xiaomi’s subsidiaries, Aqara and Xiaomi Mijia, also have similar solutions, but they seem to support mainly the devices in the brand ecosystem.
Gary explained that while SmartHub has a list of directly supported devices, if a device or brand is not on that list, customers can ask the LinkUp team to develop their integration.
Not yet open to the masses
LinkUp is not selling its SmartHub as independent to the masses at this time and therefore did not share the expected price range. Instead, it is currently targeting the deployment of its devices through home renovation projects and real estate development companies.
This is so that LinkUp can incorporate its systems into the home, from lighting and door locks to entertainment and security systems.
So far, the team has managed to install its smart home systems in ten renovation projects in neighborhoods like Damansara Utama and Sri Hartamas. In 2021 they hope to see a 100% growth in revenue as they have managed to collaborate on it IOI properties to integrate its LinkUp Hub into future developments.
But they are not yet closing the consumer market. Gary has expressed interest in launching a subscription service for its security systems during the fourth quarter. He hopes it will lower the entry barrier so that more consumers adopt the comfort that smart homes offer.
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It wouldn’t be wrong to say that a smart home is a luxury (for convenience), and many like me are still good at saving money by doing things on a regular and mundane basis.
Somehow, this makes the LinkUp customer group smaller, but the partnership with developers initially provides greater security in sales. The property is a competitive landscape and developers would like a single point of sale for their properties, which LinkUp can offer.
However, LinkUp should be strategic for these collaborations, as demographics and location will matter if an owner wants even a smart home, along with the maintenance and costs it can entail.
That said, LinkUp’s track record in working with properties in upscale neighborhoods suggests that it knows its target market and is actively doing something to reach it.
- You can learn more about LinkUp here.
- You can read about more Malaysian companies we have dealt with here.
Featured Image Credit: Gary Low, CEO of LinkUp
