The smart home movement is becoming more and more prominent in Aussie households - and the new technology is being embraced by more than just avo-eating millennials, as it becomes simpler to use and more affordable than ever before. So, here's look at some of the latest trends to appear on the tech scene.
According to Australian emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte, the market for internet-connected smart home technology grew by an incredible 57% last year. A rapidly growing industry already worth some $1.1 billion, it's predicted to hit a staggering $5.3 Billion by 2023.
Half of all Australian households have begun the smart tech journey, with internet-connected voice assistant devices and smart speakers like the Amazon Echo with Alexa, Apple HomePod and Google Home being particularly popular. And with the roll-out of the 5G mobile network, the possibilities and new products just keep expanding.
Here are five major trends in smart home technology to look out for in 2020:
Home comforts and smart devices
We’ve come a long way from clapping our hands to turn lights on and off, with automation tech now able to do incredible things. From lighting and temperature control to automated appliances and gadgets, our homes are becoming increasingly focused around comfort and convenience.
Metricon currently offers smartphone app-connected control of heating and cooling via the Actron system. So you can check in on the thermostat from work and ensure its spot on by the time you arrive home. You can even adjust the under-tile heating in the ensuite from your bed in the morning.
Soon we’ll offer even greater home-automation including smart lighting, the ability to raise and lower blinds, turn on appliances, and set your favourite music at the touch of a smartphone, without getting up from your sofa. In the future, our home will get to know exactly what we like and adjusts the levels accordingly.
Freshen up with voice control
Bathrooms are getting brighter too. Metricon will soon offer Eco exhaust fans that will automatically turn on to address rising steam levels.
Advances in technology mean that in the not-too-distant future we might see things like voice-command toilets and showers, or if you do your best thinking in the shower, voice activation will soon allow us to make to-do lists in real-time while we soak.
Ready steady cook with a smart kitchen
As we move into the future, smart home devices will bring a whole new level of kitchen intelligence.
We're beginning to see appliances coming through that will shake up the way we use our kitchens. Like fridges that can keep track of what's inside, monitor use-by dates to avoid wastage and help you write shopping lists, or cameras where you can take a look inside without opening the door. Some even have digital photo album displays too, replacing the old magnet-pinned photos.
Also keep an eye out for smart kitchen products coming through over the next year like ovens that monitor and adjust the temperature as your dinner cooks, and app-connected espresso machines.
Smart locks and smart home security
Smart homes are getting more secure all the time, with 2020 set to see significant strides in this direction.
Metricon is integrating alarm technology so that you will soon be able to keep an eye on your home via a smartphone app while at work or on holiday. They'll connect to security camera CCTV footage, and an app-driven door entry system with video doorbell that allow you to see who's there, even if you're not at home.
We already offer key code, swipe card and thumbprint access. You can use a iPhone or android app to open the garage door too, and it will even alert you if you’ve left it open for too long.
In the future, we predict that smart home security systems will log who comes and goes, monitoring security risks and alerting us as needed.
Take charge with smart home products
While wireless charging of smartphones already exists, it usually requires you to place the phone in a specific spot.
Over the coming years, we'll start to see technology emerging that will automatically charge our phones over-the-air when we walk into our homes. Waving goodbye to a mass of messy, tangled cords, the future of connection is disconnected.
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