12. Mobility ― Whether integrators looking to do remote diagnostics, company owners wanting to remotely manage their facilities, security personnel needing connectivity on the go or end users desiring heightened convenience, app-based access and control of security systems anywhere, anytime continues to be a huge movement.

13. Cybersecurity ― Running physical security systems on enterprise networks with LAN/WAN connected devices has elevated concern about hacking vulnerabilities. This year we will see a continued recognition of both the threats and opportunities that brings.

14. Bundles ― To better serve both integrators or more traditional security dealers that are not especially adept with IT network skills as well as simpler SMB customer deployments, many manufacturers will continue to offer complete off-the-shelf system solutions.

15. Interoperability ― Many vendors’ booths will look like rainbows of logos showing off how their products are officially interoperable with an array of other technology providers. This is great for integrators as it eases assembling seamless integrations, even if the promise sometimes exceeds the field results. Open APIs and SDKs are seemingly available to all interested parties.

16. Affordable advances ― Prices are anticipated to continue to plummet while features increase to produce very compelling value propositions.

17. Video expanding into access ― Several video surveillance manufacturers, particularly those with strong competencies in software development, are seizing additional opportunities on the access control side. Expect to see more vendors jumping in and those that already have expanding their lines.

18. Easy GUIs ― Vendors will continue to move away from engineering-fulfillment bells and whistles to concentrate on more intuitive interfaces that are easier for end users to learn and use, as well as emphasize useful functionalities in real-world scenarios.

19. Analytics ― The advancement and proliferation of security devices and systems, particularly video, is creating almost limitless opportunities to pull together what had been disparate data to analyze and make smarter decisions for operations as well as security. We will see continued breakthroughs to take advantage of this metadata.

20. Partnerships ― Many vendors, once all about propriety and playing everything close to the vest, will continue to throw their arms open to embrace collaborative product/system and branding opportunities.

21. Hardware vendors try software ― Looking to move beyond commoditized boxes and ways to make their products more relevant moving forward, many traditionally component-based suppliers are either creating their own integrated software, OEMing it from someone else or openly partnering with a specialist to expand feature sets.

22. Software vendors try hardware ― The corollary to the above is vendors well known for programming expertise expanding into selling components. Besides the additional revenue it can allow a more unified solution.

23. Easier installs ― An integrator’s best friend is the vendor who truly knows installation pain points and comes up with innovative solutions to hardships and hassles. More modular designs, easily-hung devices and self-finding network components will continue to show how manufacturers are listening to their customers.

24. Enhanced imaging ― With megapixel imaging almost standard, manufacturers are continuing to introduce technologies that produce greater clarity and usability. At the forefront of this movement are wider dynamic camera sensors and IR/thermal technologies that can capture images in little to no light.

25. Edge intelligence ― To lessen the burden on the network with continuous streams of video data choking the pipelines, many suppliers are concentrating on cameras that are more self-contained and only communicate with a centralized network as needed. This is really taking off now that flash media is becoming more robust and cost effective.

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