A tour of today’s smart home

We have no closer, more consistent relationship with today’s technology advances than within our homes, where the arrival of new devices and systems continues to have significant impact on our daily activities and decision-making.

 

“With the technology available to us today, we can manage our homes from anywhere,” says Amanda McComas, Vice President of Risk Management for Berkley One, a Berkley Company.

And the smart home space is only growing—its market size is projected to increase from the current $147.52 billion to a whopping $633.20 billion by 2032.¹ Those numbers reflect a keen interest in these accessories and applications, and their unique abilities to equip today’s homeowner with increased safety, security, and convenience (plus, plenty of fun and discovery along the way).

Discover What’s Driving Smart Home Innovation

“It’s an exciting time in technology, and particularly in the smart home sector, where we are seeing more capabilities and features across products,” says Kyle Wandel, Manager and Market Researcher with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Every year, Wandel and the CTA team produces the Consumer Electronics Show, the leading tech event in the world that draws thousands of exhibitors and guests. This year’s show revealed many advents in the smart home sector’s technology and interconnectivity, all creating a more efficient, streamlined user experience.

“These developments better adjust devices to your daily behavior, while increasing their communicative ability and interconnectivity,” Kyle Wandel, Manager and Market Researcher with the Consumer Technology Association, notes.

At the forefront of the improvements responsible for that streamlining and automation is a development called Matter. “Matter-enabled devices are becoming the standard in how devices connect to each other,” says Wandel, noting that this year’s conference was the first that showcased the majority of devices enabled for Matter. “It’s a huge step for the industry,” he says. “We’re entering the stages of the smart home truly becoming a smart home.”

McComas agrees. “Several years ago, you may have had the ability to have automation on the shades in your house, or automatic home locks, but you would have needed to operate those devices independently of each other—to push a button on either one for it to function,” she says. “Now, whenever you walk into the house, your system welcomes you based on all of your previously programmed preferences—music set to a particular volume and station, dim lighting in the living room, and brighter lighting in the kitchen, varying temperatures by room, and lowered shades,” she says.

Simplify Control with Smart Home as a Service

Another way in which smart home devices are connecting to each other is through Smart Home as a Service (SHaaS), a monthly subscription service and app that helps users to manage all of their devices under one platform. For systems using SHaaS and Matter alike, homeowners can turn to a smart hub for daily management—one device that functions as the central control panel for all of a user’s smart home technologies, from room temperature and lighting to security and entertainment systems. Homeowners can operate these hubs via a smart phone, but also TVs and now, a quotidian kitchen appliance: the microwave (complete with its own screen and calendar). “Those at work in creating these devices are understanding more about at-home behavior, and how often we’re all inclined to gather in the kitchen,” says Wandel.

That gathering spot now boasts several other smart appliances, too, including the refrigerator. Today, there are fridges that feature Wi-Fi, voice control, touchscreens—and, thanks to built-in cameras— offer loads of automation perks. These perks include help with recipe creation based on stocked items, or in drafting grocery lists based on low inventory items or those about to expire. Upon completing those recipes, it’s time for clean-up—and smart dishwashers alleviate the process with Wi-Fi capabilities and possibilities therein, including remote control and cycle notifications. Some models also account for water and energy consumption, detecting the load size and need.

Look Ahead to the Future of Smart Living

In the laundry room, washers and dryers carry similar smart capabilities, connecting to Wi-Fi and providing homeowners the option to monitor and control their wash cycles remotely and sending notifications when loads are complete. Users can set preferences for automated cycles and features, too, with some washers auto-dispensing detergent or connecting with the dryer to determine appropriate cycle based on the recently washed load.

Even when you’re ready to call it a night, home technology is hard at work—today’s smart mattresses can gather information on a user’s body movement and sleep quality, helping with adjustments to the bed’s firmness and temperature throughout the night.

And come morning, a smart shower or smart bathtub now offers capabilities for voice command or remote smart phone operation, flow rate optimization, hydrotherapy options, and precise temperature settings.

“This is the range of thoughtful, sophisticated smart home developments we’re seeing across the board,” says Wandel. “We’re eager to see how this space continues to grow, and the surprises it has in store for us all.”

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Additional insights generously provided by the Consumer Electronics Show.

Berkley One is an insurance provider for modern, sophisticated individuals and families. We’re redefining insurance with technology, innovation, expertise and the backing of Berkley, one of the nation’s premier insurance providers. Offering customized options for homes, automobiles, fine art, collectibles, liability, recreational marine and collector vehicles, we give clients the confidence to move forward and live their adventure.