The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a worldwide effort to stay and work at home, socially distance from others when outside, and avoid contact with communal surfaces. At the same time, the smart home technology market is overflowing with innovative and exciting new gadgets. With the new realities of homebound life, many are turning to smart home technology to make life more convenient, comfortable, cost-effective – and most of all, safe. Below, we’ll see how analysts are projecting more interest in smart home tech in the wake of COVID-19, and explore how renters and homeowners are taking advantage of this tech for better home lives.
Highly Demanded Smart Home Tech
Smart technology eliminates the need to touch surfaces, which reduces the chances of COVID-19 transmission. A recent report from the tech market advisory firm ABI Research predicts that shipments for voice-controlled smart home assistants – like Amazon Echo – will significantly increase in 2020. Voice assistants can connect with appliances and switches, alleviating the need to touch shared surfaces while you’re at home, and help order food and supplies delivery without leaving the house. ABI researchers expect the already impressive 141 million shipments of voice-controlled smart home assistants in 2019 to increase by 30% in 2020.
Smart technology again reduces transmission of COVID-19 with delivery. When combined with keyless entry systems, packages and mail can be placed inside a home or apartment lobby without any human interaction. With smart doorbell cameras, it’s possible to monitor deliveries to ensure they don’t get stolen after being placed on your doorstep.
What if you don’t even need to place the order at all? The WePlenish smart pantry system features automated ‘smart containers’ that monitor their contents and reorder items when they get low: “The Java Smart Container uses built-in sensors to track how much of a particular item you have. Just put your favorite granola bars straight into the container and select the item in the accompanying app. When you start running low, the container (through a Wi-Fi connection) works with the WePlenish app to order more straight to your home using your Amazon Prime account.”
Other Popular Smart Home Technology
- Smart thermostats and smart HVAC systems: These devices offer more consistent and cost-effective heating and cooling in addition to HVAC maintenance alerts.
- Smart home assistants that act like virtual secretaries: These devices help you plan and coordinate your day, make orders for home delivery, call friends, listen to music, set alarms, and interact with other smart devices connected to your home.
- Smart lighting systems: This technology gives you more creative control over the ambiance in your home, so you can change the color and intensity of lighting to suit the mood or activity.
- Smart supply systems: Smart pantries, smart refrigerators, and smart appliances that restock themselves with supplies make it so you’ll never run out of the items you need.
PointCentral: Smart Home Systems So Sheltering-in-Place Is More Enjoyable
What kind of smart technology would you like to include in your home? At PointCentral, we develop smart home technology and home automation systems to streamline and improve your home life. If you have unique ideas for your smart home system and want to know how to make your plans a reality, contact PointCentral now for a free evaluation.
