2020 is a win for consumers as smart technology continues to become more intelligent, more cross-compatible and faster than ever before

Here at One Firefly, smart technology is always trending. Because we spend our days researching the latest consumer technology news and talking to clients and industry leaders about the shifts they see in the demand for smart tech, we’re in a unique position to talk about the biggest trends emerging in our field.

The list below is by no means exhaustive, but it does touch briefly on four of the most impactful developments gaining traction in the world of smart consumer technology. 

 

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1. Wellness

One of the fastest-growing trends is using technology to better the health of ourselves and our homes. The most innovative development on the market is circadian lighting, which is artificial lighting that mimics the color temperature and intensity of natural sunlight. Our bodies depend on natural sunlight to keep our circadian rhythm in balance and regulate our mood throughout the day. Emerging research shows that circadian lighting can help improve alertness, productivity and cognitive functioning during daylight hours. Additionally, we see an uptick in climate control and air quality solutions to create a healthier home environment.

2. Faster Home Networking

Wireless access is set to expand rapidly with the introduction of 5G and Wi-Fi 6. Both communication standards promise faster network speeds and the ability to manage more Internet of Things (IoT) enabled devices and users with less competition for bandwidth. The rollout of 5G and Wi-Fi 6 coincides with the pandemic that’s gripped our nation and fostered new growth in the number of people and organizations working remotely.

As we begin to conduct more communications, schooling and business online, the demand for faster, more reliable networks with expansive connectivity power is a trend we expect to continue into next year and beyond.   

3. Artificial Intelligence Capabilities

It’s a surprise to no one that smart technology is growing more prevalent— but what is significant is that it’s also getting more intelligent. The evolution of AI capabilities, machine learning, computer vision and natural language processing are enabling smart devices to learn from us and use past experiences to improve automatically. Take your smart refrigerator, for instance. A smart fridge can “see” the contents inside, extract information from the images and use that data to make decisions. Now it can tell you when you’re low on milk and when the bread is about to expire. It can also suggest items for your shopping list based on foods you buy frequently.

In another example, voice assistants (arguably a rising trend on their own) are using natural language processing to interpret and execute tasks based on peoples’ natural way of speaking. In the future, this means people will have to memorize fewer exact commands to use voice control.   

Along with making smart devices more convenient and intuitive to use, we can also expect AI to provide more security for our IoT-enabled devices by detecting breaches and issuing alerts to the user.

4. Collaboration

Exclusivity is no longer the name of the game when it comes to smart home devices and systems. As smart technology becomes more popular and more widely available, leading brands are realizing the value of cross-collaboration to improve the user experience and reach wider audiences.

One of the biggest collaborations this year is between tech giants Amazon, Apple and Google, along with Zigbee Alliance, to open communications and allow integration between their platforms. We were also excited to see the alliance between Crestron and Lutron. Crestron’s home automation system will now integrate with select Lutron lighting and shading products.    

Cross-collaboration is a big win for consumers, who will have more choices for building and expanding smart home systems using multiple brands.

At One Firefly, we always have our finger on the pulse of the smart tech industry. And we aim to use that knowledge to help integrators and consumers keep up with the changing face of technology. Check out our blog to stay up to date and contact us if your integration company is looking for industry-leading branding and marketing services.