In 2019 and in the years that follow, we expect smart home tech
to grow in terms of both technology and unit sales. We expect to see more smart
speakers flood the market. They will be powered either by Amazon Alexa or
Google Assistant. We also expect to see more smart wearables.
An Increase in Smart Home Devices
Through numerous sources, we’ve learnt that one-fourth of the
tech consumers out there have identified smart home to be the next emerging
tech trend in 2019. We expect to see more Amazon Alexa- and Google
Assistant-powered devices in the future. The fact that Amazon recently
announced eleven new Echo devices is probably a sign of the new trend.
More Smart Speakers
We believe more portable speakers in the future will come with a
virtual assistant built in. While Apple’s HomePod is expected to be a
standalone product powered by Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are
expected to make it to more and more portable speakers.
Connected In-Vehicle Entertainment Systems
In-vehicle entertainment systems are about to get a major
upgrade in terms of both hardware and software, we believe. Samsung recently
announced the Exynos Auto, an SoC designed specifically for connected
in-vehicle entertainment systems. It’s expected to be employed in Audi’s all new
MMI system sometime in 2021.
An Increase in Smart Wearables
With more and more users jumping on the personal health
awareness bandwagon, we expect a rise in the number of smart wearables in the
market and an improvement in the technology that powers them. The Consumer
Technology Association predicts a 9-percent increase in sales of fitness
trackers and a 26-percent growth in sales of smartwatches.
Enter the Consumer Drone Era
Drones will find a place outside military surveillance missions
and in the equipement list of professional photographers. They will also be
used heavily for last-mile delivery of goods. Google could soon join Amazon in
running a drone-based delivery system. The Consumer Technology Association
predicts an 8-percent growth in unit sales of consumer drones.
Display-equipped Smart Speakers
Another type of smart speakers on the rise is one that
integrates a medium-size display in its design. In the recent past, we’ve seen
the likes of the Amazon Alexa-powered Echo Show, Echo Spot, and the Google
Assistant-powered Smart Display from Lenovo. They’re essentially smart speakers
with another mode of input for faster interaction and video-calling.
Faster Android TV Adoption
From a recent report, we learnt that Android TV has tens of
millions of takers, which include set-top box makers and television
manufacturers. We can expect to see more televisions in the future to be smart
and to come with Android TV running out of the box. We can also expect these
televisions to be more affordable than before.
More Streaming Services
MX Player just became more than an app we see in Google’s Play
Store. It’s an over-the-top streaming streaming service with five original
shows. Disney too recently announced its own streaming service in an attempt to
take on big guns like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. We can expect to see only
more of such services to crop up in the future.
Widespread Adoption of 4K Resolution
In the same way Full HD resolution is pretty much the standard
on most laptops with a price tag of Rs 40,000 or more, 4K is becoming
increasingly common amongst large televisions. According to the Consumer
Technology Association, 8K is the “next generation” resolution. It predicts an
11-percent increase in the number of 4K televisions sold in 2019.
Of Course, More Smartphones Too
With 5G mobile network technology becoming more of a reality by
the day, smartphone sales are expected to grow in 2019 and in the years that
follow. The Consumer Technology Association expects 75 percent of the
smartphones in 2022 to be 5G-enabled.
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