The internet of things (IoT) has been a booming sector of the tech industry in recent years. As people are now spending more time at home than ever, the importance of connected devices has taken on new relevance.
Because of this need, 2021 will likely be the year that consumers and businesses alike upgrade their smart home and office technology. Below, 12 members of the Young Entrepreneur Council shared their predictions for which IoT devices will have the greatest impact on the consumer market in the months ahead.
1. Smart Home Assistants
COVID-19 has already changed consumer habits by 10 years with the shift to more e-commerce engagement. Amazon is pushing heavily to train their customers to order through Alexa when they notice they’re low on soap, toothpaste and other household essentials. This will cause a huge change in consumer spending and benefit Amazon greatly. —Laura Egocheaga, Viral Growth Media
2. Smoke Alarms
Having a smoke alarm definitively reduces fire-related fatalities and allows people to take necessary action before a catastrophe. The modern smoke alarm is an essential IoT device. It thinks, acts and then alerts your personal mobile phone about any suspicious activities and emergencies in your home. Users can even manage the alarm from their phones without any extra hardware. —Vikas Agrawal, Infobrandz
3. Home Cybersecurity Hubs
Smart home cybersecurity hubs are growing in demand because they are necessary. As we increase the internet’s access to our home appliances like doorbells, deadbolts and fridges, we open our homes to cybersecurity attacks. Hackers can access data through smoke alarms and air purifiers now. A cybersecurity hub protects all of your IoT devices from identity theft and password-stealing malware. —Shaun Conrad, Guitar Repair Bench
4. Wearable Fitness Devices
Smart fitness devices aren’t going away any time soon. Basically, any fitness-oriented wearable IoT device with biosensors has the potential to do well in today’s market, which shows no signs of stopping according to the most recent year-over-year sales data. Most of us want to get into better shape, but don’t know how to measure our progress. Wearables are the solution. —Amine Rahal, IronMonk Solutions
5. Smartwatches
Smartwatches will have a tremendous impact on the IoT space and customers’ lives in the coming year. Companies like Samsung have refined the smartwatch experience from a UX perspective, but they’ve also gathered plenty of actionable data from their existing customers. I think this will lead to more accurate health readings, more features and an overall better experience for customers. —John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC
6. Doorbells
It’s becoming more and more popular to have a smart doorbell system attached to your home. People can keep an eye on their packages, see who’s at the door, communicate with those outside and much more. On top of convenience, it provides extra safety and security. These devices will continue to grow in popularity as they help consumers feel safe. —Jared Atchison, WPForms
7. Refrigerators
An loT refrigerator will make it easy to come up with your grocery list. It helps you with inventory and checks what supplies are running low. There’s even a fridge you can email to know if a certain item is out of stock already. Plus, it can defrost and change temperature no matter where you are. —Daisy Jing, Banish
8. Kitchen Gadgets
IoT kitchen gadgets are certain to pick up in 2021 as more and more food-based devices become available in the market. For instance, IoT pressure cookers and other devices offer precision control in cooking food and also add a layer of safety since they can turn off if you forget about the meal you’re making. As people continue to blend work and home life, such devices will be time-savers. —Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
9. Sleep Trackers
Sleep tracking devices are becoming more popular as people struggle to get a good night’s sleep and feel well-rested in the morning. These are great for consumers because you need sleep to feel like yourself, both in and out of the workplace. —Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
10. Smart Plugs
The Wemo Insight Smart Plug is one IoT product that should see high demand in the market. This product uses your Wi-Fi connection to offer wireless control of all electronic devices in your home, right from your mobile device. —Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite
11. Mobile Phone Geofencing
Mobile phone geofencing lets you map customers to physical businesses while sending them appropriate content or ad copy to encourage them to visit the business, which can lead to sales. I feel this technology has been improving each year and, once everyone begins to go about their business again, there will be a jump in outdoor activities. —Samuel Thimothy, OneIMS
12. IoT Devices for Working From Home
Alexa and its counterparts will have a huge effect because working from home is going to be the new normal well into 2021, according to most estimates. Even the Virtual Stage resource offered by Microsoft is likely to play a big role alongside mainstays like Zoom. —Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
