Tech home takeover
Wondering how the latest tech could improve your home life? Discover why we can’t ignore it, and what’s best for your space
You know it’s coming… you might already be dabbling in it, controlling your central heating, dimming the lights or asking Alexa if you need to take an umbrella. We’re talking about the smart home revolution, which – once we’ve figured out how it all works, and the really clever bit of how it all works together – will make our lives easier.
With sales of smart home products up 30 per cent on last year at John Lewis, it’s only going to get bigger. As
Katrina Mills, smart home buyer explains, ‘We know that once customers have tried one smart home product and love it, they are happy to invest in other smart items.’ So much so that John Lewis White City now has its own Apple Smart Home, which opened earlier this year. It’s the first “live” demonstration of the smart home eco system, where you can see how all of the different products can be controlled and exist alongside each other. ‘By smart home, we mean products in your home that are connected via your home’s Wifi and can be operated remotely through a dedicated app,’ explains Katrina. ‘These are designed to enhance the efficiency of your home, saving time and energy, while enabling you to set scenarios for your daily routines – from voice-activated speakers to smart thermostats, plugs and lighting.
‘Sometimes, these products are for problems you never realised you had,’ she continues, ‘like setting a timer by voice when you’re baking a cake (so you avoid sticky fingers on your phone) or making sure you’ve switched the iron off after you’ve left the house.’ Who wouldn’t like to banish that sick feeling of worry in the pit of your stomach by swapping to a simple smart plug that costs just £30?
Where we are using this tech is interesting, too, as Nick Bevan, head of product management home appliances at Samsung UK & Ireland, explains. ‘Many of us class the kitchen as the heart of the home, and as a result, we’ve seen a strong
demand for kitchen products that can help us live simpler, easier lives, allowing us more time to do the things we love.
For example, our Family Fridge Hub brings together food, family and fun in the centre of our home, helping people stay better connected and organised.’ When you think of it, the fridge has always been the place where you stick family photos, kids’ paintings, lists and notes. ‘It makes sense it should evolve into a truly smart connected hub,’ says Nick.
It’s this connectivity that’s really exciting, as a spokesperson from Amazon explains. ‘Once your products have been set up, you can set up routines, which allows Alexa to complete multiple tasks at once with just one command. For instance, an “Alexa, good morning” could see her open your smart blinds, turn on your lights, start the kettle boiling and give you the morning’s news and weather.’ By 2020, Samsung are hoping to connect all of its devices. ‘Just imagine your extractor hood automatically increasing in power as you turn up the temperature of your hob, while also increasing the volume on your wireless speaker to compensate for the noise, of the fan,’ adds Nick. ‘As this interconnected technology continues to become more intuitive and intelligent, connected living will become second nature and multi-tasking easier than ever.’
There are now more than 20,000 Alexa-compatible smart home devices from over 3,500 brands, claims Amazon. ‘It started with lights and plugs but we have since expanded Alexa’s control to thermostats, TVS, cameras and door locks, with developers creating sprinklers, mowers, vacuums and more that work with Alexa,’ says its spokesperson. ‘For a long time, having a smart home meant you had to unlock your phone, open up an app and press a button within that app just to turn on a light – which you might as well have got up and done yourself. With Alexa and voice-activated smart products, having a smart home is much more accessible and natural. You only need to enter a room and say “Alexa, lights on” for the lights to turn on.’
But what if your current Wifi isn’t up to the job of multiple connected devices? Well, the big players are even thinking about this, with Google launching Google Wifi back in spring, which works with your modem and internet provider to bring you reliable coverage (depending on internet provider, of course). ‘Traditionally routers haven’t always been built to support the increasing number of devices we use or high bandwidth activities like gaming or watching videos,’ says Suveer Kothari, director of product partnerships and planning at Google Home. ‘Google Wifi is a connected system that replaces your current router. And to make sure you’re always in control, it comes with an app that lets you pause the Wifi on kids’ devices when it’s time for dinner.’
It’s the voice control that’s the most widely used of smart home devices and the easiest, as Katrina explains. ‘The beauty of devices such as Google Max or Sonos is that you can listen to music, set timers, book taxis, call a friend for a chat and a multitude of other uses all with simple voice commands.’ Katrina predicts that voice assistants and home monitoring systems will continue to be the big tech sellers, especially in the run up to Christmas. How many of us will ask Alexa how long sprouts take to cook on Christmas Day, the last day for posting Christmas cards, or if she can play your favourite Christmas sing-along tune as you decorate the tree?
Be warned, though: just as social media is a great time waster, watching what your cat or dog really gets up to while you are at work can be just as addictive. Of course, you bought the Hive View camera, with its HD live streaming, night vision, wide-angle lens and zoom you can control from your smart phone so you could keep an eye on your home while you’re away and chat to the kids to check they’re back from school, thanks to its two-way audio. But if Tiddles the cat jumps on your best throw on your bed as soon as you shut the front door each morning, well, at least you’ll know now…