Smart home popularity is on the rise and 2023 will bring some exciting new concepts. We'll examine seven ways smart homes will change, including some trends and smart devices to watch for in the coming year.

Exhibitor speaking to participant at CES in Las Vegas
Image Credit: Consumer Technology Association

Smart homes have been increasingly popular in recent years and will be even more so in 2023. A Parks Associates report indicates that among homes with internet capability, nearly 50% will add a smart home device during 2023.

And there will be many great new smart home devices to choose from. The 2023 Consumer Electronics Show exhibited some of them. Many of these products will belong to the smart kitchen appliance and smart utility categories.

Smart home device functionality, reliability, and effectiveness will improve in 2023. This will be due in part to Matter standardization and the ability of smart devices to "think" using artificial intelligence.

1. Matter Will Help Smart Devices Get Along

Matter was a hot topic at CES 2023, and will help more smart devices work together. It's common for smart home devices to use their own “language” when trying to communicate with each other. This can cause problems because it fills a smart home network with chatter. It's kind of like having lots of people in the same room trying to communicate, but all speaking different languages.

Every device in your smart home that adopts Matter will use the same communication protocol. The goal is increased communication, harmony, and interoperability.

2. AI Will Help Smart Devices Think

Technology can think with Artificial Intelligence

AI is the attempt for smart devices to mimic human intelligence. It helps your smart devices to require less direction from you. It can result in less of a need for you to manually set each task for your smart home devices. It may always be more artificial than intelligent, but it can help.

For example, AI knows when you get home, and that you want your kitchen lights turned on when you walk into that room. Without AI, you have to program a routine that tells the lights to turn on when a smart device in your kitchen detects your motion.

3. Kitchen Appliances Will Get Smarter

Smart homes this year will include more than just smart cameras and Wi-Fi lights. Kitchen appliances are becoming smarter too. Here are a few examples.

GE Profile Smart Mixer

Is it overkill to have a mixer that is smart enough to weigh your ingredients, ensuring you have the exact measurements called for by a recipe? And is it overkill that it will read step-by-step instructions on that recipe to you? You probably won’t think so if you have a new GE Profile Smart Mixer.

This new smart mixer will operate through voice commands. You won't need to wash the batter off your hands before handling it as you would with a conventional mixer.

Samsung Bespoke Line

The Samsung Bespoke AI Oven will monitor and adjust your baking temperature in smart ways. This will help you avoid mistakes such as overcooking food. It will even recommend cooking settings by recognizing 80 different dishes and ingredients.

You will be able to monitor the oven's smart progress on the 32-inch touchscreen of the new Samsung Bespoke 4-Door Flex refrigerator. What else will a touchscreen on your refrigerator do? It can do things like display pictures, display wall art, and control compatible appliance settings.

And no longer will you need to mount a TV on the kitchen wall. You'll be able to watch your favorite show on the refrigerator's screen.

4. Improved Smart Home Products

2023 will bring smart ovens and refrigerators and more

Several new products will help your smart home run a bit smoother in the coming year. You'll be able to work, clean, change lighting fixtures, keep devices powered up, and water the lawn in smart ways.

Samsung SmartThings Station

Samsung's SmartThings Station provides a Matter-based control station. You'll quickly charge smartphones and other accessories, either by plugging them in or placing them on this small, square charging pad. It will help you find lost devices such as your smartphone with the press of a button. And it can help with smart routines, for example, lowering your lights and turning on music when you set your phone down to charge.

Sky Technologies SkyPlug Smart Light Base

With the Sky Technologies Skyplug Smart Light Base, you can turn your hardwired light fixture or ceiling fan into a smart device. It provides plug-and-play functionality, helping you remove fixtures for things like cleaning and painting. Or if you just want a new look for your room during a party. You can control your lights with voice commands or through your smartphone, as well as benefit from smart home routines.

Roborock S8 Pro Ultra

Did you know you won't need to mop or vacuum in 2023? The Roborock S8 Pro Ultra vacuum is smart enough to clean for you and much more. It can even clean its own mop pad and warm itself to help prevent mold growth.

Rachio Smart Hose Timer

If you don't have an in-ground sprinkler system for your lawn, you can have the next best thing. Just attach the Rachio Smart Hose Timer to your garden hose and set it up using your smartphone app. It will water your lawn or garden, and is less expensive, easier to install, and less complicated than a sprinkler system.

EcoFlow Whole-Home Backup Power Solution

And gone are the days of noisy, gas-powered generators. The EcoFlow Whole-Home Backup Power Solution will keep your house powered up for a week. To keep it charged, you can plug it into a wall outlet, an electric car charging station, or a solar panel. It even has the capability to tie into your smart home's power grid, and automatically restore power during an outage.

5. Smart Home Exercise and Wellness Takes a Step Up

Lots of new smart devices in a smart home

More and more smart devices will be geared toward your health in 2023. Here are some interesting new possibilities for your home that can keep you in good shape while keeping you wired in.

Acer eKinekt BD 3

Why not keep your body in shape while sitting at your desk? It's hard to fit work and exercise into a busy day, but with the Acer eKinekt BD 3, you can do both at the same time. It's a desk combined with an exercise bike. Instead of paying the electric company for power, you can plug your smart devices into its USB ports and keep them powered on with your peddling.

Withings U-Scan Urine Analyzer

That's right, even your toilet can be tied into your smart home in 2023. The Withings U-Scan is a small, disc-shaped device that will fit within any toilet bowl. It will provide information on your body's wellness balance by analyzing your urine.

6. A Better Entertainment Center

LG intends to clear up your smart entertainment space in 2023. The OLED M TV will eliminate the need for HDMI cables, transmitting its 4K signal wirelessly. This will make it easier to place your TV in various locations around your smart home. The only cord needed will be the power cord plugged into a wall outlet.

7. Home Security Made Even Easier

2023 will include some interesting new technology to help lock your door. These devices can help you beef up security in smart ways.

Lockly Flex Touch Pro

There are ways to convert your existing deadbolt into a smart one. The Lockly Flex Touch Pro can add biometric capability to your security hardware. This means you can use your fingerprint instead of a key. You can also tell it to unlock through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, or in the presence of a smartphone that has been granted access.

Alfred DB2S

Imagine never needing to change your smart deadbolt batteries. The wish will become a reality with the Alfred DB2S. It can keep itself charged wirelessly via infrared power transmission.

A Better Smart Home in 2023

Smart home devices are getting smarter every year. If you haven't yet jumped on the smart home bandwagon, this might be a great year to do so.