Necessity is the mother of invention, as the popular saying goes. In recent years, many smart home trends either met real needs or sold the need for smart home tech. Many smart home innovations certainly made our lives easier, but some of these inventions lacked staying power, as with any trend. Let’s look at the impact smart home technologies have made over the past few years, which ones are worth investing in, and the emerging trends to expect in the near future.
Not All Smart Home Innovations Are Smart
There are tons of supposedly amazing products that “you absolutely need in your life.” You see them all the time on TV shopping channels. Unfortunately, smart home trends are also fraught with needless inventions and reinventions. Their cool novelty and effective marketing may give them a short-lived time in the spotlight, but a lot of these “smart” innovations are not worth the investment. Here are some of them.
GenieCan
This is a scanner you attach to your garbage can so you can keep track of all your trash. Before you throw something in the can, you scan the barcode or simply hold whatever it is in front of the scanner (if there’s no barcode). GenieCan basically makes a list of everything you consider garbage. Why do you need such a list? The best answer is so you’ll know what not to buy next time. The GenieCan should be included on this list.
Kohler’s Intelligent Toilets
It has built-in speakers, cool lights, motion sensors, a heated seat, warm-water cleansing, warm-air dryer, a self-sanitizing wand, hands-free flush, an automated lid and even voice controls with built-in Amazon Alexa — depending on the model. It also has a hefty price tag, around $7,000. Sounds impressive, yes, but this is more of a luxury tech than a smart buy.
Smart Couch
La-Z-Boy has been putting our comfort first for nearly a hundred years. And a lot of furniture makers have been attempting to offer innovations to elevate the couch experience. Vibrating couches, cool lights, built-in voice controls and synchronization with your entertainment system — smart couches deliver more than just comfort but also an immersive entertainment experience. For most of us, however, a nice and comfy couch is more than enough.
For property managers, smart technologies make management easier and more efficient and offer tenants improved comfort and security. With the residential rental market widely adopting smart tech, offering the best in smart home innovations is one option to stand out among the competition. But rental owners and managers must also make smart choices when following smart home trends.
Partnering with a company, such as PointCentral, that delivers comprehensive smart home solutions is key. You can be sure that your investment will go into technologies that will be useful in the long-term and consistently drive your net operating income (NOI).
Smart Home Trends That Are Smart Investments
Whether for a single-family or a multifamily rental, smart home technologies have become not just a luxury but an actual necessity. There are key elements that identify which innovations in the market are worth investing in.
Integration
This smart home trend ensures easy connectivity and ease of use. Simply put, effective integration should allow as many smart devices as possible to be connected to each other. Outfitting a property with smart technologies that can function as a connected and synchronized unit is more cost-efficient and delivers greater convenience than individual technologies that function independently. Control of all smart devices is usually done via a Wi-Fi connection and a smartphone.
Artificial Intelligence
Smart homes worldwide have warmly welcomed Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri as members of the family. Voice assistants and other forms of artificial intelligence continue to improve the smart home experience. The ability to carry on two-way conversations and more effective command responses are the improvements driving AI innovations.
Hands-Free Technology
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic made touchless tech essential to public health, this smart home trend had already been gaining popularity. Especially with today’s new normal and with multifamily rentals, touchless tech, such as touchless doorbells and locks, are now sought-after innovations.
Smart Thermostats
These have been around for a long time, but continued improvements in the technology deliver greater benefits in terms of eco-friendliness, budget efficiency and convenience.
High-Speed Connection
To enjoy the convenience of smart home devices without interruptions, a stable and fast internet connection is a must. Wireless connections via mesh Wi-Fi can address the problem of dead zones, which are areas in the house or a building where an internet connection via Wi-Fi is lost.
High-Tech Security
Trends in smart security for homes are not just about protecting the home and family from outside threats; they are also addressing concerns related to the hacking of smart devices and privacy breaches. Another popular trend in smart security is the improved interconnectedness of security devices so that they can be easily accessed and controlled wherever you are.
Enhanced Privacy
Advanced features that ensure consumer data protection are among the top considerations of consumers interested in smart home tech.
As a comprehensive smart home solutions provider, PointCentral is always up to date on the latest advancements in smart home technologies, constantly developing, installing and monitoring enterprise property automation systems that remove the hassle, delight guests and improve the bottom line.
Smart Home Trends of the Future
Smart homes can and must only get smarter. Here are the smart home trends that we can expect to see in 2022.
Greener Technologies
With people worldwide coming face to face with the terrifying reality of extreme weather and climate change, there will be an increasing need for greener technologies, including those within the smart home market.
Smart heating and home energy management systems are also expected to deliver better energy efficiency and make greater use of renewable energy sources.
Improved Network Communication
Reliable and fast communications between smart devices and within a smart home system are critical to smart technology. Further improvements should effectively address interconnectivity issues and deliver more optimal functioning.
Health Monitoring
The focus on health has never been greater because of the ongoing pandemic. As a result, consumers are constantly looking for home solutions that can help them monitor their health, keep them on track with their fitness regimen, and give them quick and easy access to emergency services. Sleep monitors, body temperature monitors and air quality monitors are just some technologies that will be increasingly integrated into smart home systems.
Moving Forward With PointCentral
Here are some key features that make PointCentral ready for the future.
Cellular Reliability
The PointCentral Enterprise Smart Home Solution does not require local internet connectivity. Instead, each property receives a cellular communication gateway supporting Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile.
Mobile Readiness
Access to and control of the PointCentral Enterprise Smart Home Solution can be done from any web-enabled device.
Complete Installation
Experienced security installers and fully licensed and insured technicians are available across the U.S. Experience the great benefits of Keyless Smart Home Solutions without interrupting your daily operations.
Cloud-Based Software
Our cloud-based software offers the flexibility to access the system from any web-enabled device. In addition, the cloud allows for continual development and easy updates.
Enterprise Control
Monitor and control access and temperature for every property from one cloud-based dashboard with one login.
