OEM Solutions for the Consumer Electronics Industry in the IoT Sector

The Internet of Things (IoT) elevates consumer electronics products to a new level and has the potential to bring about the next wave of technological innovation. Consumer electronics devices are crucial for connecting to the IoT. 

The availability of smartphones to every consumer has fueled the flourishing of IoT in consumer electronics. Consumer electronic devices use connectivity technologies such as Bluetooth, Z-wave, Zigbee, etc., to connect with IoT gateways, which in turn can be used to connect to the cloud.

Let us explore how the IoT is redefining the boundaries of interconnected consumer electronic devices for OEMs:

The IoT in consumer electronics ventures into new revenue streams by providing services on top of products. 

For example, fitness trackers that offer subscription-based fitness plans, smart vehicles that allow real-time location sharing with friends or family, vehicle health monitoring systems, vehicle alarms, and notifications. 

Smart TVs or TV dongles that transform non-smart TVs into smart TVs create a revenue source for over-the-top (OTT) media services. Manufacturers obtain behavioral data from consumers and provide services that make their lives effortless. 

Today, cloud service providers such as Amazon, Ayla, and others offer cloud-connected agents to run on devices, reducing time to market. They provide more functionalities beyond remote control, such as scheduling and over-the-air (OTA) updates.

The IoT revolutionizes the consumer electronics market by changing the way consumers interact with products. Manufacturers analyze customer behavior to improve their products and services. Let's take a look at some of the benefits of smart consumer devices for both consumers and manufacturers across different categories.

Mproving Product Quality

In any form, consumers interact continuously with IoT devices, and these devices generate data based on customer behavior. Manufacturers analyze this data to improve the quality of their products. 

For example, IoT devices connect to home Wi-Fi routers using mobile applications. These mobile applications inquire about the consumer's experience with using a particular feature and even report any malfunctions. 

This helps manufacturers focus on that feature and, whenever possible, address issues with the same version through over-the-air (OTA) updates or in the next version of products with hardware dependencies. 

Manufacturers gain insights into the feedback on functionalities, which aids in improving existing features or adding new ones, ultimately enhancing the overall product quality. The IoT is significantly assisting manufacturers in accelerating the improvement of product quality.

Personalized Experience

IoT devices push data to the cloud, enabling companies to gain extensive insights into consumer behavior and predict individual needs. 

This empowers companies to offer tailored solutions that are relevant to each consumer, rather than generic ones. For instance, a company can provide different fitness plans based on individual requirements or Netflix and Amazon Prime subscriptions that are tailored to user preferences. 

Personalized products not only contribute to increased sales but also enhance consumer satisfaction, leading to recommendations and loyalty.

Consumer Convenience

The IoT allows consumers to access vital information on their devices without explicitly checking the products themselves. They can retrieve manufacturing dates, scan nutritional information of edible products, and effortlessly identify items that haven't expired or have lower nutritional value, enabling them to lead healthier lives without manual efforts. 

The IoT makes life more convenient for consumers. For example, consumers can retrieve a grocery list from a smart fridge and continuously track items based on their expiration dates and nutritional value. It helps users prepare shopping lists remotely using data/food availability from the smart fridge.

Remote Device Monitoring

Consumers will be able to remotely control electronic products without physically being present, which was not possible before the advent of the IoT. Now, consumers can turn on the air conditioning on their way home and arrive to a cool house. 

They can even check the status of appliances from a remote location and turn off the power when not needed, thereby saving on electricity bills. Consumers can even provide access to their homes without physically being there using smart locks.

Rapid Feature Updates with OTA

Time to market is crucial for any manufacturer. The IoT makes it significantly easier to collect data on new features through user interactions with IoT devices, enabling the industry to develop these features faster based on user experiences without explicit surveys, which can be time-consuming. 

For example, electronic devices with OTA support allow manufacturers to release devices with basic features and promise compelling features to be delivered via OTA once they are matured. This way, consumers can periodically receive new features using OTA updates.

The consumer electronics market is constantly evolving, presenting new challenges for manufacturers in terms of design, development, and manufacturing. Here is a list of significant challenges manufacturers face:

• Managing multiple vendors, designing and developing for mobile, cloud, firmware, hardware, and streamlining manufacturing processes

• Time to market is closely linked to a highly competitive market

• Ensuring product security certifications and compliance with international safety regulations