Is That Your Fridge Calling? | The Connected Home in 2019
Fans of 1999’s Disney Channel Original Movie, Smart House, rejoice: the connected home of the future is almost here! And with it, comes new age smart home devices and intelligent kitchen appliances (minus the scary malfunctions and glitches, hopefully). Cooking has never been easier, or more connected.
Half-Baked Technology
How many times have we seen “smart” kitchen products, often referenced as the future of cooking, turn out to be pretty half-baked (looking at you Whirlpool Polara)? Whether laden with gimmicky features or annoyingly inefficient, they often made it feel as if the actual food was an afterthought. Not anymore. From recipe apps that can ’talk' to your appliances, to ovens that ‘read’ recipes, more and more smart products are living up to their promise, and we're excited to have them in our kitchen.
Baking, Broiling and Toasting, oh my!
With built-in cameras and smartphone-like software, gadgets like the June Intelligent Oven, is changing our approach to food. Whether baking, broiling, roasting, or toasting, the June will automatically adjust cook time and temperature to fit your preferences. Crispy bacon? Done. Flaky tilapia? Done. Perfectly-warmed PopTarts? Done. Barely-pink steak? Well done. Not only that, but the June can take an Instagram-worthy time-lapse of the whole process (all for a surprisingly-affordable $600 no less). Its food-recognizing AI will make sure you never mistake yams for sweet potatoes again. Did we mention it also looks dang-fine?
But First, Let's Take a Shelfie
If you have the money to spend, you can get smart versions of large appliances, too. The development of smart fridges—like the Samsung Family Hub fridge—take the hassle out of ordering ingredients by snapping ‘shelfies' of your food so you can see what you're low on while you're out shopping. With its own touchscreen and the ability to serve as the communication center for your home, you can even connect your Samsung fridge to your other smart devices, allowing you to check who rang the doorbell, adjust your thermostat, or check on the sleeping baby—all from the comfort of your kitchen. And, when paired with voice-operated assistants like Google Home or Alexa, recording and ordering your shopping lists has never been easier.
What this Means for Brands
With the intersection of food, technology, and people continually expanding, food brands are seeking new ways to leverage tech in order to better connect with audiences. Although voice-first technology is still in an experimental phase, brands need to be daring when growing into the space; fail to do so and customers might leave you behind. As consumers begin to experience the power of technology and food coming together, brands must find their voice before it’s too late!
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