As with smart cities, smarter and more responsible energy management is one of the spearheads of connected homes. These systems calculate the exact needs of the consumer in order to regulate energy and thus avoid energy losses, but also to save money. Installations such as connected thermostats or radiators are new types of tools that enable responsible energy consumption in homes.
Devices for entertainment and consumer electronics are the most common in households. Access to a high-speed and high-quality internet connection is more prevalent than ever in French homes, which makes the adoption of smart devices by consumers optimal. In less than ten years, the number of screens per household more than doubled, and the popularity of devices such as smart TVs and gaming consoles connected to the internet is a giant leap in accessing online services such as streaming and video on demand platforms. The number of households equipped with a smart speaker skyrocketed in just a handful of years, and that number is expected to keep increasing. Desired uses of smart speakers mostly fall into information request, such as weather data, searching for information on the internet, and setting an alarm clock or a timer.
Smart household appliances are all the craze right now and the possibilities they offer are limitless. This booming market is reflected in the sales evolution. Both smart small and large appliances sales grew by more than 35 percent from 2018 to 2019. Almost one quarter of French households owns smart large appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators, which is only slightly higher than small appliances such as coffee machines and microwaves.
Though still in its infancy, the smart home sector is slowly but surely carving out its place inside French consumers’ homes and daily lives. While these devices are still somewhat divisive, most notably concerning data protection, they are shaping the home of tomorrow by adapting themselves to consumer needs.
