Even 10 years ago, the idea of controlling your lights, thermostat, and home security all from your smartphone would be unfathomable. Fast forward and today we are entering the era of smart home technology.

Home automation is no longer a fad, it’s an expectation. With 81% of home buyers saying that they’re more likely to purchase a home with smart technology already in place, it goes to show that smart home devices don’t just add convenience, they add value.

According to a recent survey, smart home products that people would like to see consist of a carpet that cleans itself, a bin to tell you what you can and cannot recycle as well as lights that switch off once you’ve fallen asleep.

Although 2019 hasn’t given us all of those requests, it has seen an incredible rise in smart home technology with more than four in ten adults now using smart technology to work the television, while a further one in three often control their music with a gadget.

And while the majority of smart homeowners use their tech while inside the property, more than one in six use the smart tech remotely – to set the heating or put on the kettle before returning home – daily.

Smart home tech is disrupting home security as we know it. The results of a recent survey showed security devices coming out as the second most appealing kind of smart devices in 2019 after entertainment. Rather than taking out an insurance offering on its own, homeowners are looking for ways to protect their homes in a more proactive way. Smart devices, such as smart security cameras, window sensors, and smart doorbells alert users to potential issues as and when they arise, so they can react quickly, no matter where they are in the world – giving them a better chance of preventing an issue before the damage is serious.

Although North America still reigns as the largest market for sales of smart tech, the European smart tech market is also booming. In fact, in 2019, the UK was named as the fastest growing and second largest market for sales of ‘smart’ devices for the home whereby 72% of UK consumers reported that smart home technology can improve their lives, so it is no surprise that the industry has rocketed throughout the year.  

Whilst 2019 has seen a rise in smart home technology and your home may already be fully automated and packed with smart home devices that all play nicely together, smart home tech is still relatively young.

Combine this infancy with the warp speed at which technology continues to develop, and you can see why it’s an exciting time for smart home technology and its users.

So, what can we expect in 2020?

5G for Smart Devices

5G is expected to hit the market by 2020. By 2021, the number of 5G connections is forecast to reach a figure of between 20 million and 100 million.

5G technology will allow for easier streaming of high-definition media in densely populated areas or when out of reach of Wi-Fi hotspots. It is also expected to advance machine-based, IoT-centric functionalities, for example, in allowing self-driving cars to be autonomous.

Wi-Fi 6 To Combat Congestion

Wi-Fi 6 is the next generation standard in Wi-Fi technology. Wi-Fi 6 also known as “AX Wi-Fi” or “802.11ax Wi-Fi” builds and improves on the current 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. However, without getting too technical, Wi-Fi 6 was originally built in response to the growing number of devices in the world.

If you have numerous devices all incorporating some kind of smart home tech, chances are your Wi-Fi network is congested even if you’ve invested in a mesh system and you have respectable speeds and coverage.

Wi-Fi 6 boasts two advantages beyond the current capacities that the 2019 smart home has to offer:

• The ability to handle competing requests for bandwidth far more efficiently and intelligently
• A dramatic improvement in battery life for devices through the enhanced range and swifter data transmission
• Better performance in environments with many connected devices

The number of devices per household shows no sign of diminishing, and this new wireless standard will add a vital extra layer of security while also reducing congestion.

Smart Home Technology in the Workplace

With smart homes more the norm than the exception now, our expectations outside the house become more ambitious.

5G, once fully deployed and more mature, will have enormous ramifications for smarter cities. More and more offices will start adopting smart technology throughout replicating the convenience you have at home in the workplace.

A migration of tech from home to workplace is already fully underway and is set to grow exponentially during 2020.

Robots in the home?

Although 2019 is not going to be the year lifelike robots penetrate our homes en masse, there’s likely to be an essential move away from single-usage products toward more multi-tasking solutions.

The continuing evolution of digital assistants has laid firm foundations for the human interface capabilities required to ensure robots are intuitive, useful and user-friendly. AI and machine learning are also soaring ever-onward.

Integrated Logic can help

As industry experts, Integrated Logic are always in the know when it comes to the latest trends and predictions for the future. As experts in our field, we are equipped with the knowledge to make sure your smart home is prepared for all new smart home technology enhancements.

As we look forward to the festive period, we are excited by what 2020 has in store, and how technology continues to develop to benefit us all.

If you have any smart home technology plans for the New Year, feel free to contact us to see how we can help.