Say hello to our connected future. In a recent report, Gartner predicts that the number of connected things in use will hit 14.2 billion in 2019, growing to 25 billion by 2021.
Homes are getting smarter, as more appliances hop online and can be controlled by smartphone apps from anywhere in the world. But there is a critical problem with this trend — the proliferation of smart appliances and Internet of Things (IoT) has created a clunky, confusing mess of apps. Most of these devices rarely get updated and tend to be a privacy and security nightmare.
The leading German home appliances manufacturer Siemens Home Appliances took up these challenges and the result is their Home Connect infrastructure, a technology that controls all your smart appliances with various beneficial features to make your life easier at home.
A UAE first
With the promise of delivering a whole new way of life, Siemens Home Appliances has now introduced this technology for the first time in the UAE. Known for fusing advanced materials and sleek designs to form a refined and clear design language, Siemens Home Appliances is the premium and German home appliances brand in the UAE. Backed by solid innovation and German engineering, it offers people a life full of possibilities
Besides, the Home Connect tech has been tested by TÜV Trust IT and the system meets the highest security standards. Personal and appliance-specific data is encrypted using the latest encryption technology, while regular system checks guard against professional hackers.
Control them all
Not surprisingly, the Home Connect app allows you to easily control everything from washing machines and dishwashers to refrigerators, ovens and even the coffee machine.
Available for Android and iOS phones and tablets, it not only gives you access to relevant information about each appliance, but also lets you remotely switch it on and off, select programmes, adjust timers, set an appliance to eco mode, among many other options.
Endless possibilities
In fact, the technology is remarkably customisable and with it, you can let your imagination run wild while also making your life easier or more enjoyable. For example, you can use Home Connect to flash the lamp in your living room when the washing machine has finished. Or use it to tell the coffee machine to keep a cup of your favourite brew ready every morning when you get out of bed.
Coffee playlists
When you have guests over, you can send it a 'coffee playlist’, so every person gets coffee personalised to their liking. Or when you come across an interesting recipe, you can send it from your phone straight to the oven.
Smart shopping
Thanks to the camera in the fridge, Home Connect can help you with your shopping. When you are at the supermarket, you can use the app to take stock of what is already inside the fridge and shop accordingly. Similarly, Home Connect can notify you when the dishwasher is running low on rinse aid or cleaning tabs.
Energy manager
Another cool feature — one that should do well in sunny UAE — is the energy manager that allows you to make optimal use of power from renewable sources like solar panels.
Voice control
And yes, you will soon be able command these home appliances simply by talking to them — Siemens notes that Voice Control is coming soon to the UAE and if you have smart speakers like the Amazon Echo series, you can start asking your oven “when will my dinner be ready?” or telling your coffee machine to “prepare a Cappuccino”.
Stress-free life
If you are wondering how Home Connect fits into your life, well, a key thought behind it is that in this modern, fast-paced and busy world, you have more important things to do — such as spending time with your family — that fiddling with appliances or wasting precious time figuring out how they work.
Home Connect steps in to intelligently leverage connectivity and take some of the effort out of your daily life, giving you more time and energy, while transforming household chores into bonding time. Or, as Siemens puts it, Home Connect puts you on top of the world with every connection.
Now available at Better Life Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif and in Sharaf DG in Dubai Mall.
For more details on how technology works – visit the Siemens website here
