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When I was writing A Heaven for Toasters, my near-future sci-fi romance, I was trying to imagine what life will be like in a hundred years. For my research, I studied current trends in smart homes and was amazed to realize that the future is already here.

What smart home devices do you use the most in your daily life? A few years ago, most of us would answer “smart speakers” because they were one of the only devices on the market. But that changed quickly with the smart home technology boom, an industry that has made its way into over 52 million homes in the United States. In fact, studies estimate that there will be a 10% increase in the number of smart homes in the US within the next year.

Since this industry is only growing, your answer to the above question may change each year. While it started off as “smart speakers,” it might’ve changed to a “video doorbell” and then a “smart fridge” over the last few years. Looking to the future, you’ll likely be surprised at the technology ready to take hold of the industry (and your home).

Smart Homes of The Future

COVID-19 has already changed our homes, but it’s likely that the pandemic’s impact will be long-lasting. In fact, many of the biggest smart home trends came directly from the lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic. For instance, everyone’s focus on health has led to an increase in smart home devices like air filters, humidity sensors, and touchless appliances to help keep homes cleaner.

Other trends sprouted directly from the pandemic include completely interconnected homes as parents and children look to learn and work remotely. As the category expands, so will homeowners’ expectations. Homeowners will be drawn towards the devices with the most customizable features in order to better serve their needs as well as turn-key homes with smart home devices already installed to make move-in a breeze.

If the protagonist in your near-future novel is looking for a brand new home with the latest technology already installed, here are a few things she may see in the houses she visits, courtesy of Hippo’s smart home tips and trends infographic:

Smart home trends illustrated infographic