Whether economic or cultural, most people find predictions intriguing and entertaining. Hence, their enduring popularity this time of year, and why they are showcased in SSI‘s annual Industry Forecast featuring a who’s who of top security analysts. Cynics might argue, though, that such prognostications are like rear ends – everyone has one. Fair enough, but something that cannot so easily be dismissed are the facts.

So for all the Joe Fridays out there (those under 40, Google “Dragnet”), I have zeroed in on 15 key trends backed by some of the most important news headlines SSI reported the past 12 months. In no particular order:

1. Supplier M&A Heats Up. Digital Watchdog Acquires Innovative Security Designs … Vicon and IQinVision Strike Merger Agreement … Canon Acquires Video Management Platform Leader Milestone … Anixter Vies to Be Top Distributor With $420M Tri-Ed Buy … Kaba Purchases Keyscan Access Control Solutions … Samsung Sell-Off Includes Video Surveillance Business

2. Leading Suppliers Tab New Leaders. Bosch Appoints New President of Sales for North America … Honeywell Introduces New Head of Americas Security Products … Aarnes Appointed President of ADI North America

3. Home Automation Hype. Google Acquires Nest for $3.2 Billion … Report: 6 Billion Internet-Enabled Devices to Be Produced in 2014 … Comcast to Buy Time Warner Cable for $45B: A Home Automation Powerhouse? … Napco Unveils iBridge Connected Home Dealer Program … Vivint Unveils Proprietary Smart Hub ‘Vivint Sky’ … Report: Global Home Automation Market to Grow 24.5% Annually … ADT: Nearly Half of New Subscribers Buy Pulse Home Automation

4. Schools Spend on Security. Baltimore County K-12 Schools Get Video Surveillance Upgrade … Hikvision, Milestone Partner to Protect Hundreds of Montreal Schools … Security Cameras Help Secure Alabama Schools … SIA, NSCA Unveil Partner Alliance for Safer Schools

5. Safer, Smarter Cities. Report: Smart Building Technology Spend to Reach $22B in 2017 … NYPD Ponders Deploying Drones to Fight Crime … Cisco, Kansas City Will Build Network for Smart City Services … Outdoor Security Cameras Required for Gary (Ind.) Businesses

6. Security Contractors Consolidating. ADT to Acquire Canadian Security Provider Protectron for $500M … ASG Security Completes 2 Regional Acquisitions … Bay Alarm Acquires SDA Security of San Diego … Hughes Associates to Merge With Consulting Firm RJA Group … SAFE Security Strikes Deal to Acquire Safeguard Security … ADS Security Enters North Carolina Market With Seaboard Security Systems Buy

7. Cybersecurity, IT & Cloud. Eagle Eye Networks Makes Debut in VMS Market … Firetide Acquired by IT Company UNICOM Global … PSA Introduces Cybersecurity Program and Events … Vivint Acquires Cloud Storage Startup Spac e Monkey … Cybersecurity Issues Weigh Heaviest on Americans’ Minds

8. Hot New Technologies. Report: Wearable Computing Devices to Top $30B by 2018 … DVTEL Demos 4K Camera … Doyle Security Sees Productivity Gains With Mobile Forms Platform … Protection 1 Will Start Selling Solar Panels Next Month … Vivint Solar Goes Public With $330M IPO … HID Mobile Access Enables Bluetooth Smart and NFC-Enabled Smartphones

9. Deceptive Sales. Duo Posing as ADT R
eps Arrested for Deceptive Sales Practices … Door-Knocking Security Alarm Scam Hits Florida Residents … Door-to-Door Alarm Sales Rep Dupes Iowa Couple

10. Bright Market Outlook. Report: Video Surveillance Market to Exceed $36B by 2018 … EACS Market Projected to Grow Annually at 12.6% Rate … Physical Security Market Projected to Be Worth $88B by 2019

11. New Integrators Emerging. Reorg at Matrix Systems, New Divisions to Focus on Access Control and Integration … Securadyne Systems Acquires Leading Integrator IAS … G4S Government Solutions Goes Private for $135M

12. Automated Secure Alarm Protocol. Protection 1 Enrolls in ASAP Program … Guardian Protection Services Implements ASAP-to-PSAP Alarm Communications

13. Technology Partnerships. Bosch Systems Named Elite Partner in Milestone Systems Manufacturer Alliance Program … Digital Watchdog to Launch 4K Camera, Partners With Linear … March Networks Announces Alliances With Software House, Pelco … Genetec, SALTO Partner to Unify IP Access Control with Wireless Locking Technology

14. DIY Digs In. iControl Buys Maker of Piper, a DIY Security Device … ADT Partners With IFTTT for DIY Home Automation Channel … Infinova to Purchase DIY Specialist Swann Communications

15. Standards in Practice. ONVIF Releases Profile C for Physical Access Control … ZigBee Alliance Releases 3.0 Unified Wireless Standard … ONVIF’s Profile G for Video Storage and Recording Now Available … Update to CP-01 False Alarm Standard Accounts for Mobile Device Interfacing.

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