Sharp’s range of Internet of Things enabled appliances. The full line is made up of devices named: SuperSteam Ovens, Induction Cooktops, Wall Ovens, Slide-in Range, Microwave Drawer, Built-In Ovens and Over-The-Range Microwave ovens, as well as Dishwashers and Refrigerators. What these represent is the age of the smart kitchen and an expansion with the number of connected devices available.
Not only is smart technology enabling appliances work smarter, through the inclusion of some elements of artificial intelligence, but also with the doubling up of some appliances as media and entertainment devices. Convenience for the consumer is a design criteria with many of the devices being app controlled via a smartphone. An example of innovative technology are fridge-cams which provide images of the insider of refrigerator so that the user can assess whether they need to purchase more milk, as an example, on their way home from work.
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Other design aims of smart kitchen appliances include waste reduction, efficient cooking operations, enhanced safety. The market is currently valued at around $700 million; this is expected to rise to over $2 billion by 2026. North America is expected to hold the major share in this growing smart kitchen appliances market.
Some of the big players in the smart kitchen space include Bosch, Samsung, Dacor, Electrolux, GE, Haier, and LG. Now Sharp have entered what is set to become a lucrative market. The devices available include those that can be activated via an app, such as a microwave; and those which help guide the user through the most appropriate cooking modes, as with an oven that boasts 12 preloaded ‘Smart Cook’ settings.
