Consumer Electronics

From smart homes to autonomous cars, connected living is no longer a scene from a sci-fi movie but very true reality.

Thanks to ubiquitous connectivity, technology has become an increasing part of our everyday lives.

A simple visit to a technology event like CES (Consumer Electronics Show) shows the expanse of this universe of connected gadgets and wearables.

Technology can augment and enhance our way of living, whether through artificial intelligence built into our personal digital assistants or through smartwatches or fitness trackers that help monitor our well-being; or through the use of drones for personal entertainment to new logistical solutions.

The 6 challenges for the connected devices industry

• #1. Miniaturization: Consumer devices come in all shapes and sizes. Consumer OEMs are increasingly under pressure to use the real estate on their device more effectively to maximize their ROI.
• #2. Ruggedness: Consumer gadgets, especially wearable technology, are expected to be prone to rugged use, including shocks, dampness, and so on. This is almost contradictory to the need for miniaturization since ruggedness requires extra layers of protection.
• #3. Independent Connectivity: This is especially true for very mobile devices, such as wearables, tablets, and laptops. The nomad consumer of this digital age does not want to go through the perils of using a smartphone as a modem, through a USB or Bluetooth connectivity.
• #4. Security & Privacy: When left unsecure, connectivity may open doors to new attack vectors for cybercriminals, endangering consumer privacy.
• #5. Standardization: OEMs looking to deploy innovative solutions need to develop standards-compliant products to ensure they can be integrated into the larger IoT ecosystem of connected stakeholders.
• #6. Consumer Experience: The whole promise of IoT lies in providing an enhanced experience to end consumers. OEM have to deal with all the above challenges while still trying to ensure a smooth customer experience.

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