The USA’s largest homebuilding organisation this week announced the release of Alexa-enabled smart homes, which will come complete with smart thermostats, lights, doorbells and locks, as well as in-built WiFi.
The smart devices in Lennar’s new homes will all be controlled by Amazon Alexa — Amazon’s flagship voice activated assistant. Also included in a purchase of a Lennar home will be two smart speakers, an Echo Show and an Echo Dot for maximum integration.
And there’s no need to worry about getting it all set up yourself — each home will be entitled to a free visit from an Amazon technician to personally calibrate your devices and show you how to use the features of your new home.
These ‘Amazon experts’ are specially trained in the latest releases and technology and rated by customers as 4.9 out of 5 stars.
Various Lennar model homes across the US will double up as ‘Amazon Experience Centers’, designed to show how customers can fully integrate the artificial intelligence of Alexa in their daily lives.
In a press release, Amazon announced that these homes will allow customers to experience “how Alexa, Prime and Amazon services come together to help them”, outlining the three major benefits:
- Voice control of smart home devices
- In-home entertainment thanks to the 2 million songs on Prime Music and the catalogue of Prime Original movies and TV series
- Increased efficiency by putting home services on auto-pilot. For instance, scheduling automatic, regular deliveries of household essentials like dog food and toilet tissue
These Amazon Experience Centers are now open in Atlanta, Dallas, LA, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC. You can find specific centers here, along with more information.
Lennar have been convinced of the longevity and attraction of smart home automation for a while, and originally partnered with Apple and its Siri software back in 2016.
This recent switch to Amazon Alexa came back thanks to the additional installation and guidance service they offer, that’s likely to prove essential to the new homebuyer.
David Kaiserman, president of Lennar Ventures, told USA Today that, “This will be the hallmark of why we buy a new home. It’s an important step in the mass adoption of all these technologies.”
But while the model homes and Amazon Experience Centers will be inevitably decked out in Alexa-enabled smart home devices, homeowners buying a Lennar home won’t be restricted to Amazon-only enabled technology.
Ultimately, you’ll be able to choose any such technology you want in your home, including the jilted Siri, or even none at all.
Likewise the Amazon Experience Centers aren’t only restricted to people who are interested in buying a Lennar home — they’re open to all shoppers who want to see how they can integrate Alexa technologies into their existing and future homes. Shoppers are encouraged to buy Amazon merchandise even if they aren’t looking to buy a new home, Lennar or otherwise.
The centers are designed as integrative and educational experiences, rather than just hard-core sales funnels.
Lennar is the first major home builder to integrate voice-controlled smart home technology in their new homes, although we’re confident that they won’t be the last.
For better or for worse, America is headed towards full home automation — these Alexa-enabled smart homes are just the beginning.
Would you buy an Amazon Alexa smart home?
