Evolution of Smart Devices

By Sam Thilman, Marketing Strategist for Smartz

The development of smart devices has made home automation possible. Intelligent devices have allowed for tasks at home to be completed quicker and more efficiently. From turning on and off lights, opening and closing blinds, and touchless faucets the options are endless. The transformation from smart devices in the past to them now is quite impressive. This blog post is going to cover the evolution of smart devices from the 1900s to today.?

Home appliances were the first step in the evolution of smart devices. Smart devices would not be possible without introducing appliances into the home. In the early?1900s, home appliances that still exist today like the refrigerator, washer, and dryer were established. These appliances made daily life easier. Instead of having to perform certain chores by hand, now you can use appliances to do the work for you. Not to mention the decrease in manual labor. Home appliances also gave people more free time and less time for doing chores. Home appliances were the foundation upon which smart devices were built.????

Following the home appliance introduction were attempts to incorporate technology into the home. People including, James Sutherland, saw the success of the home appliance and wanted to take them to the next level. James Sutherland saw the vision for smart devices and made the first smart device called the?Echo IV?in 1966. The Echo IV was capable of a few things including controlling a homes air conditioning, weather updates, and setting parental controls on the tv. The Echo IV was ahead of its time. The internet wasn’t even invented until 1983. This smart device set the stage for the smart home era that was to come.??

After the Echo IV, home automation was not significantly developed until the early 2000s. The early 2000s are categorized as a focus on IoT and connectivity. This is when certain smart products became introduced into the housing market including smart thermostats, smart refrigerators, and smart TVs. Along with the production of smart products came the development of smartphone apps. With the development of smartphone apps, people were now able to control devices from the touch of a smartphone. This era even introduced the phrase, “Smart Home” to the real estate industry, and is responsible for introducing many of the products seen today in the home automation industry.

Fast forward to today and there are countless smart devices that property owners can choose from. Everything from smart lights to smart alarm clocks to smart locks can be added to a property for ultimate control, convenience, and accessibility. Property owners can upgrade their kitchen, bathroom, garage, and every room on their property with these devices. In 2021, smart device popularity was at an all-time high as there were a reported?258.54 million?smart homes.