According to a survey last year, less than 50% of appliances that are internet-capable ever get connected. When I talk to manufacturers, I often hear even worse numbers, sometimes below 30%! Despite many years and billions of dollars of investment into the “Internet of Things”, this lack of adoption makes it clear that even if a device can be connected, consumers don’t see the value in most cases. I think it’s time to admit that the core idea of IoT has failed. To understand why, it’s worth looking at how it was originally pitched, and what flaws time has revealed in those arguments.
Why would you connect your fridge to the Internet? Mostly to receive software updates to fix security bugs, which never bother you if you do not connect your fridge to the Internet.
I would be curious about the breakdown with regard to functionality. I could imagine that some device types are more useful than others and have maybe somewhat better usage numbers.
I have connected my Miele washer-dryer to the internet. It now always tells me when the laundry is finished. What I really want is for it to tell me when the detergent is empty. It doesn’t. And I want to turn off the horrible beeping via the app when the wash cycle is finished downstairs. That doesn’t work either. There are useful use cases if the developers would see them.
Well, if you don’t want wrinkly clothes you have to unload the machine. Then the beeps stop. And when the detergent is empty, I am pretty sure you will have to walk there as well.
Its a detergent box. It lasts for months. The machine display can show the status. It simlpy would be great if I can order the new one before the tank is empty.
Look at the display once in a while when you get out the washing. 🙂
I never understood why there is an auto-buy option for the dishwasher and washing machine detergent. It’s not available anywhere else anyhow.
I usually buy my “Ultra Phase” at Media Markt or Saturn with a small discount compared to directly at Miele.
Try finishing the program in the app. It sometimes stops the beeping for me. Sometimes anyway… :/
The beeper can usually be silenced with a side cutter. Requires local access…
Much easier. It can also be turned off.
Unfortunately it can’t. Bad by design.
Funny, After reading the headline I first thought of the use in our company… there it is a big success.
But for consumer hardware i have to agree. (My washing machine is not connected anymore, after an app upgrade I didn’t bother to reconnect it.)
A good use case – for sure. I would want a connectivity which helps me maintain such devices. All the sensor together are able to analyse a problem with the device. If an app helps me to fix this, a good case. I wont need a user manual anymore.
And of course, telling me in advance when to buy new detergent, coffee, water filter, etc. … would be a good case.
My Bosch dishwasher is connected. And TBH I like the functionality. At the moment I don’t use a dynamic electricity pricing scheme, but the dishwasher is able to use it. It also sends an alert, if the number of pads reaches a lower threshold (even though I manually have to “refill” the counter), or if the salt or the cleaner is empty.
Yes, I can see the alerts on the machine as well, still I find it convenient.
I also can change some values during operation (e.g. speed up or reduce noise), which can’t be done on the machine without the app.
But as always: It depends.
I read a recent interview with the CIO of Whirlpool, and she said that AI use cases for the household devices follow a similar pattern and challenge like IoT: the use cases might leverage a certain value, but at what cost? Does the average consumer honor that added value by buying a notably more expensive dishwasher?
My two cents: The problem is fragmentation. I had the luxury of completely refurbishing a house, which involved replacing the electrical installation. Burned by the experience with a few thermostats which were cloud-controlled until the cloud disappeared, I opted for a KNX installation, a broadly used industry standard, also as I want to be sure I do not need to yank out everything again in 10 yrs. It works beautifully, also with some kind of central control logic that controls heating valves, blinds, curtains, lightning, etc. But not the heatpump, which is only a few years old. The manufacturer insists external control is only possible with some interface that is 5x as expensive as their internet control option with involves some cloud, installation of a separate app on each device you want to use it on, login credentials, MFA (and then it still does not communicate with the central logic, including the room thermometers). Then the dishwasher, Miele. If you need to control it at all: separate app, cloud, rinse repeat. Oven, Gaggenau: separate…, Washing machine: V-ZUG, separate…. Each time separate apps, different clouds, opaque dependencies. Once you have not used an app for some time, the credentials invalidate, login screens, etc. Multiplied by the numbers of users, and the numbers of homes (I have 3, sorry) — and all breaks down when the router gets stuck while you are away. Now
So getting to the point: It’s fragmentation. Unless there is a common user facing standard (e.g., like homekit), and all manufacturers adopt it, the already marginal benefits do not outweigh the cost to keep it all running.
I have plenty of use cases I would like to have automated. And step by step they become possible.
For example That the Radiator Valve should take the temperature to regulate, from the device which is near the rooms sitting place.
The cleaning Robots now get started to have fresh water and waste water connections. So they can also refill or draining the Humidifier / Dehumidifier. Additional it can support the indoor watering solution to supply with water.
Also it would be nice if the robot or a other device can recharge automatically some devices which has a battery.
We are not there with all the things but we step by step getting closer to useful things.
And mid or long term .. the robot to fill and empty the washing machine.