Connected appliance shipments to pass 200 mln annually by 2021 - study

With the additional cost of including basic connectivity, now less than USD 10, hardware manufacturers would increasingly introduce the functionality into many mass market, as well as high-end items including fridges, ovens and washing machines, according to the Smart Home Appliances – Hardware & eCommerce Opportunities 2016-2021 report issued by the market research company Juniper Research.

Additionally, many smart appliance vendors are beginning to focus their efforts on making the fridge the hub of the ‘smart kitchen’. A combination of lower connectivity costs and greater consumer affinity with smart home applications meant that there was now a far greater likelihood of significant household adoption.

Consumer migration to e-tail had laid the ground for more sophisticated commerce applications in the space, with the fridge becoming a mechanism for ordering as well as storing food. Research author Sam Barker added, ‘While we have seen a number of false starts within the connected appliance ecosystem, the additional functionality of new, mid-range units creates a more attractive value proposition for households’.

Juniper Research has ranked the current industry leaders. The key ranking factors were: Range of Products, Brand Strength, Range of Functionality in their Appliances, Future Business Prospects and Partnerships in the Industry.

Juniper’s top ranked manufacturers:

Samsung
GE Appliances
LG Electronics
Bosch
Electrolux

Korean manufacturer Samsung scores highly in innovation, range of functionality and brand strength, with the Family Hub fridge demonstrating promising prospects for the online grocery market. Whilst other manufacturers, such as GE and LG, also boast high scores in the rankings, Samsung’s partnerships with Mastercard and other ecommerce partners has set them apart from their competitors.