A while ago, we discussed the growing popularity of smart homes as a means of significantly improving home comfort. In this article, however, we will focus on the ongoing evolution of this technology: the possibility of managing the home in an innovative and convenient way through the integration of smart systems and devices is of great interest to the public, both in terms of comfort and sustainability, and as a result, the sector is investing substantial resources to offer increasingly intuitive, high-performance and efficient solutions.
In short, the future of the Smart Home (both in the short and medium term) is geared towards an even smarter and more connected home life, in harmony with a historical phase that is radically transforming our daily lives, including the experience within our homes.
Let us therefore take a closer look at the trends and forecasts that will shape the smart home landscape in the coming years.
What will the next generation of Smart Homes look like? Here are the emerging trends
According to industry experts, the future (or even almost futuristic!) prospects for the Smart Home will see the full integration of artificial intelligence, contactless technology and advanced device interconnectivity, revolutionising the way we live and interact with our home environment even more significantly.
Full integration of Artificial Intelligence
One of the key developments anticipated for future smart homes relates to ever-deeper integration with AI. Thanks to increasingly sophisticated algorithms and the machine learning capabilities provided by AI, these systems will soon be able to anticipate and meet the needs of home users in ways that are perhaps still unimaginable at present.
An example? Instead of having to manually programme routines and settings, AI could understand, learn and then anticipate the habits of the home’s inhabitants, adapting the spaces and the behaviour of connected devices accordingly. This is a level of personalisation that will make the Smart Home of tomorrow not only more convenient, but also more intuitive and easier to use for everyone.
More reliable connectivity and more powerful systems
In the near future, we also expect to see constant improvements in the technology powering Smart Homes: this means that issues which are unfortunately still common today, such as internet outages or delays in the response of connected devices, will become increasingly rare thanks to more reliable and faster connectivity and more responsive and powerful systems.
In practice, we can imagine a smart home where the video surveillance system offers a clearer and more detailed view of what is happening around and inside the building, even in low-light conditions; video streaming devices that play content instantly without buffering or delays; voice assistants with flawless communication (no more “I’m sorry, I don’t know”, Alexa!) and, more broadly, no interference or slowdowns regardless of the number of connected devices.
The Smart Homes of the future will therefore be able to rely on unrivalled connectivity, functionality, reliability, speed and performance.
Better and greater security
Security will also see a significant improvement in future Smart Homes. Thanks to the aforementioned integration of Artificial Intelligence, security systems will become progressively more precise and sophisticated, capable of recognising users accurately and reliably.
Furthermore, the need for passwords and complex authentication is likely to become obsolete very soon: it is expected to be replaced by a recognition system based not only on a person’s biometric characteristics, but even on their behaviour.
Finally, the adoption of new technologies such as home surveillance drones could add a further layer of active security to the smart homes of tomorrow, ensuring constant vigilance and a rapid response to any emergency situations.
Audio and video interactivity
Audio-video interactivity will be another key feature in the smart homes of tomorrow. With the significant rise in the number of people working from home (i.e. remote working) or on the move, remote communication systems will become increasingly important.
In this significant regard, a technological leap forward is expected, to the extent that there is even talk of ‘highly realistic’ video conferences thanks to the use of augmented reality and even holograms. The aim is to offer those working from home the chance to feel an integral part of office life without being physically present there.
At the same time, home entertainment systems will offer increasingly engaging, immersive and personalised experiences – once again, thanks to the use of AI to anticipate users’ choices and suggest relevant content, efficient device management and increasingly stable and powerful connectivity.
Make way for innovative devices
Finally, in the future of Smart Homes, it is reasonable to imagine a proliferation of new devices and technologies that will transform our homes into environments that are even more connected, intelligent, sustainable and energy-efficient.
In addition to the spread of keyless locks and domestic robots even more sophisticated and smart than those we know today, tomorrow’s trends point to transparent televisions (i.e. OLED screens which, when switched off, become almost invisible and blend into the living room décor), kitchens that are increasingly eco-friendly and feature small vegetable patches built into high-tech worktops, smart taps fitted with touchscreens, furniture that already incorporates lighting systems for the room in which it is placed, and beds that track sleep quality and even make themselves.
The all-round objective? To offer personalised experiences, of course, but above all real and efficient monitoring of consumption and concrete optimisation of energy resources.
The importance of centralising device control
Finally, we must not forget the central role that centralised management of connected devices will play in the Smart Home of the near future.
In this sense, the aim is to allow users to manage all connected devices through a single app – and therefore a single interface – eliminating the need to switch between apps to control the various functions of the home. This greatly simplifies the Smart Home experience, as it makes accessing and controlling home functions more immediate, faster and more efficient.
Furthermore, this approach offers a more consistent user experience: a single, familiar user interface makes using the smart home more intuitive and accessible for all users, including those less tech-savvy. No matter which device is being used, the navigation and control experience remains consistent, with a significant improvement in the system’s overall usability.
Finally, centralising device control within a single app promotes compatibility and interoperability between the various devices and systems within the smart home. This means that users will be able to easily integrate new devices into their existing home infrastructure without having to worry about conflicts or compatibility issues.
How Freedompro aligns with future Smart Home trends
All Freedompro solutions are designed to make your daily experience in your smart home even more intuitive, efficient and high-performing.
Freedompro’s Smart Modules, for example, use the Wi-Fi network to transform existing household appliances into connected devices, eliminating the need for additional investment as they operate directly on the electrical system without requiring modernisation or replacement. Installation is quick and easy, taking place directly in the junction boxes, with immediate and intuitive control of your new Smart Home via the Freedompro Home app. Furthermore, the Habits feature allows you to create customised automations based on your needs and daily routines, using geolocation to activate scenarios in line with your habits.
Freedompro offers a solution even if your home already has a KNX or BTicino MyHome home automation system installed, with all the limitations that entails. You can still integrate all your IoT devices thanks to Freedompro’s Easykon, the range of bridge devices that overcomes the traditional limitations of home automation. Easykon, like the Smart Modules, is compatible with the main Smart Home ecosystems, including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Home Assistant and IFTTT. It takes just a few minutes to transform your home automation system into a true Smart Home, improving your well-being, comfort and convenience by controlling all connected devices directly from the Freedompro Home app.
