When you think of your childhood home, what technology did it boast? While we donât think too much about how homes change from year to year, tech and gadgets do influence our personal spaces and how we use them.
It wasnât too long ago that it was unheard of to have a computer in your home, let alone laptops, mobiles, and tablets too. As the pace of new technology speeds up, homes over the next decade could include far more tech than they do already, Smart devices are already used in some homes. Throughout the 2020s, expect this to become commonplace.
These technology trends could be working their way into your home in the next few years.
Smart appliances will connect to make your life easier
Technology has already transformed household chores, but products coming to the market will take it one step further.
You can already purchase appliances that connect to the Internet, but these are set to become far more prevalent. Imagine walking into the kitchen to find a cup of tea (just the way you like it) ready for you or a heating system that automatically knows when it should turn on and off.
These devices wonât just follow pre-defined commands, theyâll learn from you too. The idea is that the more you use them, the more convenient they will become as they learn your preferences.
Your mobile will become a remote for your home
Mobiles are already an important piece of tech, many of us would be lost without ours. This decade, expect it to become even more essential to your life.
Intuitive apps will allow your mobile to act as a single remote for your home. Itâll link to smart appliances, control your lights, monitor your security system and much more. Youâll be able to control everything without having to move â just be careful not to misplace your phone!
Energy efficiency will become more important
Climate change risk means that energy efficiency will become an important topic over the next decade. Technology is already playing a role in this, with smart meters rolled out across the country. However, energy-efficient technology and the means to track consumption will become more commonplace.
Your car might tell you when it needs filling up or the oil changing. Or youâll be able to access information on the energy consumptions, cost, and carbon footprint for every appliance in your home. With more information at your fingertips, youâll know which appliance could benefit from an upgrade and be more mindful of energy use.
Entertainment hubs to use throughout your home
How we receive entertainment in our homes has changed enormously in the last decade. Youâre now just as likely to stream TV shows through subscription services as you are to tune in to the BBC. At the moment, you have to sign in on every device and use a variety of apps to find what you want.
A centralised entertainment hub will make it easier to pull all these different services together. Youâll be able to find something to watch, listen to and learn about, all from a single place anywhere in your home and on any device.
Health sensors will become the norm
There are already some health sensors available and frequently used, like exercise trackers. However, these will slowly become part of your home, letting you know when youâre ill or should visit a doctor.
If that seems like science fiction, itâs closer than you think. In Japan, there are already toilets that will perform a urinalysis and will alert users to a range of red flags, including when theyâre at risk of developing diabetes. It might be some time before technology of this level is in every home, but it shows the direction weâre progressing.
For the elderly living alone, smart health sensors could help them strike the right balance between security and independence, alerting loved ones when they need support or thereâs an emergency.
Home security systems will need upgrading
Technology has already influenced home security. With systems linked to your phone, you can control alarms, camera and more, even using it to see inside your home when youâre out. But one of the drawbacks to increased technology in homes is that the devices you use can, in themselves, pose  a security risk and more of your information is online. As a result, the security we have for our home and possessions will need to be upgraded to mitigate cybersecurity risks.