Market Trends of Smart Plug Industry
Advances in IoT Framework is Expected to Drive the Market Growth
- According to Ericsson, almost 60% of cellular Internet of Things (IoT) connections are anticipated to be broadband connections by the next two years, with 4G connecting the vast majority. Throughput data rates for this segment will significantly rise as 5G New Radio (NR) is implemented in existing and new spectrums. Further, Massive IoT, NB-IoT, and Cat-M technologies, which offer wide-area use cases involving numerous low-complexity, low-cost devices with extended battery lives and low-to-medium throughput, are still being implemented globally.
- These benefits make it possible to employ Narrowband IoT in many different applications, from smart metering to smart cities and intelligent building infrastructure control to smart farming. In other words, anywhere objects need to be connected. Smart metering is one of the most prominent use cases, and smart plugs play a significant role in these applications. Electricity, water, and gas meter networking is an IoT field for narrowband technology. Consumers do not require much data to enable IoT functionality on a meter. Also, NB-IoT's robust coverage is ideal for transmitting signals from smart meters frequently installed in basements.
- Many companies in the market are investing in their product development to design smart plugs with these energy-monitoring features. In November 2022, Smarteefi invested capital in introducing a new product, the 16A WiFismart plug, to its line of smart switches. This model contains the world's first built-in clock system, allowing it to be independent of the internet clock cycle. It would give users unique features such as an assured schedule, a guaranteed countdown timer, and more accurate daily/real-time energy monitoring.
- Further, in October 2022, China-based MOKO Smart launched a smart plug for energy management applications in the smart home and energy metering industries to benefit customers and energy-solution providers. The "MK117NB Smart Plug" can remotely manage load switches, monitor energy use, and reduce power consumption. It has a measurement accuracy of 0.5% and includes a power and energy meter.
- With a smartphone app, users can monitor total energy consumption hourly, daily, monthly, and historically. The MK117NB Smart Plug can be used in many countries and supports many plug types. It makes it possible for common electrical devices to be IoT-enabled, giving users a greater understanding of their energy usage and the ability to translate real-time electricity consumption into precise billing information.
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North America Leads in the Smart Plug Market
- The North American region has been an early adopter of smart technologies in building automation due to its various applications, including convenience in use and energy management, creating an opportunity for market vendors in the region. The market's growth is supported by two major developed economies in the region, including the United States and Canada. In addition, the United States is home to many international producers of smart home products, including Belkin International Inc.
- Many industries in the energy and power sector in the region are investing capital in acquiring smart home solution providers with smart plug product offerings, which shows the potential for the market's growth in North America. For instance, in December 2022, NRG Energy Inc.'s US production unit grew from a major power business to retail consumers by planning and investing USD 2.8 billion in Vivint Smart Home Inc., which provides a broad range of smart electronic products, including smart plugs.
- Market vendors in the region have been collaborating with IoT platform providers to accelerate the speed of their smart plug product launch, fueling the market's growth because, with inbuilt advanced features and compatibilities, these updated smart plugs can be utilized in various applications securely. For instance, in Canada, Ayla Networks, a company that provides Internet of Things (IoT) platforms that accelerate digital transformation for consumer brands, announced that its IoT firmware would power the line of smart home products from Canadian Tire called NOMA iQ comprising smart lighting, smart plugs, and smart air purifiers that users can connect to via an all-in-one app.
- Companies in the market are partnering to expand their smart home product offerings, including smart plugs. Established traditional electronic companies use the latest wi-fi-based technology through these partnerships and introduce new smart home product lines, fueling the market's growth. Additionally, the companies are developing various distribution channels for product sales, such as online and offline, to increase their market presence. For instance, in October 2022, Roku added a new line of smart home devices in collaboration with Wyze, a company in smart home products. The product line includes video doorbells, security cameras, smart lighting, and smart plugs and would be available exclusively through Walmart in the United States.
- In addition, in January 2023, Shelly, an Allterco Robotics US company, started several smart home automation gadgets at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including the extension of Shelly Plus Plugs. These smart plugs from the company would be commercialized and use Bluetooth connectivity and configurable multicolor LED indicators. This development of the latest smart plugs in terms of design, function, feature, and connectivity by the market vendor to match the customers' demand is fueling the market adoptions and creating an opportunity for the vendors in the North American region.
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