It’s a brand new year but it’s already possible to spot trends among the tech launches and trade show reveals of early 2024. Here are some themes you can expect to see as the year continues, using some of the most interesting gadgets from smart home brand EZVIZ as examples.
A focus on sustainability
Environmental awareness is at an all-time high. More often now, consumers are opting to buy products with eco credentials. There are several ways brands can address this demand and EZVIZ has some excellent examples. Energy usage is not only a consumer concern for environmental reasons but because, thanks to the cost-of-living crisis, people need to keep a close watch on their electricity bills.
This can be at odds with the increasing number of devices in our home. An obvious solution is solar power, which can be used to charge all kinds of outdoor tech. EZVIZ’s EB8 4G camera comes with a solar panel, as does the brand’s upcoming CB5 camera. Even its soon-to-launch EP3x Pro video doorbell can charge via a solar panel, which means there’s no need to go through the hassle of swapping out batteries on the device itself.
EZVIZ
But that’s not the only way smart home tech can help people save energy. Fitting a smart radiator valve, like EZVIZ’s T55, in place of a standard valve allows users to schedule heating on individual radiators for better control of home heating and less waste. Another benefit of these valves is that they’ll display the radiator’s current temperature, rather than showing a number from 1-5, taking the guesswork out of adjusting and monitoring home heat.
But sustainability isn’t just for the end consumer to consider. It can be built into the products, quite literally, if brands choose recycled materials in the production of new tech. An entire line of EZVIZ’s robot vacuums – the RC3 and RC3 Plus, the RE4, the RE4 Plus, the RE5 and the RE5 Plus – are produced in this way.
EZVIZ’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond manufacturing and end use. The brand is also investing profits from green products into planting thousands of trees in a project called the Global EZVIZ Forest Plan.
Matter and smart home ecosystems
Investing in more smart home devices tends to mean more apps on your phone and more products that don’t work harmoniously together. While the smart home standard Matter has begun the process of allowing seamless interconnectivity between different brands, there’s still some way to go before there’s provision for all classes of smart home products.
That doesn’t mean that it’s not worth looking ahead when you plan new smart home purchases. EZVIZ is one of the brands taking steps towards Matter compatibility. Its upcoming Home Hub A3 will be able to connect and control Matter-ready smart home devices that are available to buy now and those that become available in the future – from EZVIZ and other brands.
EZVIZ
The rise of AI
Without a doubt, smart home devices with AI capabilities are the biggest trend of the moment: to kick off the year, CES, the world’s biggest consumer electronics show, displayed a host of just-launched AI smart home devices, from laptops to robots to beauty tech.
In most cases, when brands mention AI, they mean machine learning: algorithms are trained on data which allows the devices to perform complex tasks. Take EZVIZ’s RS2 robot vacuum and mop combo, which features a 3K AI camera. Software in the camera will help the robot vacuum to identify common items around the home, including objects like shoes or cables, and figure out how best to avoid them. This kind of technology makes robot vacuums much more autonomous; you won’t have to step in to rescue them from a tangle of wires and they’ll be able to navigate safely around your pets instead of bumping into them.
EZVIZ
AI can help with security as well: the RS2 features an on-device AI chip to locally process images for its users’ security and data protection.
A more secure home
Video doorbells and cameras are now a common sight on homes, so what’s next? One way in which people may want to upgrade their home security is to improve the quality and range of the images they can access. Look out for 4K cameras, which will deliver a much more crisp, detailed image to your phone. In 2024, EZVIZ will be launching a range of 4K cameras, including indoor and outdoor devices.
EZVIZ
You’ll also start to see more ‘dual lens’ devices, which provide a wider field of view and fill in blind spots. Older video doorbells may have a limited view, meaning that you can’t see a package being left on your doorstep, or check in later to see that it’s still there. EZVIZ’s EP3x Pro dual lens video doorbell will launch later in the year, providing a much more complete picture of what’s happening outside your home.
There’s also the option to expand your home security by making the most of multifunctional tech and enlisting smart home devices as part of the set-up. Swap out your garden floodlights for a floodlight camera like the EL3 yard floodlight plus security camera, or send your RS2 robot vacuum to patrol your home while you check out the feed remotely for extra peace of mind when away from home.
You can browse the full range of EZVIZ products on the brand’s website.