Following Plusnet’s predictions for the technology of 2014, new research has revealed that when it comes to technology we feel will be most vital to our home life it is food-ordering fridges and iris-scanning identification that top the poll. In January, technology fans were whipped into frenzy as brands revealed the latest gadgets at the Consumer Technology Show in Las Vegas. Our research shows that, of these new technologies, it is the products that make our lives easier that we place the most importance on. Whether it is cutting out a trip to the supermarket, or never having to worry about losing keys, we want our connected home to be about convenience. 
(Click for enlarged image) Men are particularly interested in boosting the ‘wow factor’ of their home entertainment methods. Almost double the amount of males than females cite 4K Ultra High Definition TV [3840x2160 resolution] (14%) and virtual reality headsets (13%) as fundamental future technology developments. Only 8% and 7% of women thought the same. Women are more keen to see what health benefits technology can bring, with 20% of women looking forward to trying a bed to track their sleep patterns, compared to 14% of men. When it comes to the internet-enabled toothbrush, double the amount of women (8%) to men (4%) think this will be vital in future. With younger generations constantly being glued to their smartphones, it comes as no surprise that they would even welcome their toothbrush to be connected to the internet, with almost a fifth (19%) citing this as a vital piece of technology for the future. Despite all of the hype around the curved OLED TV, which offers the benefits of a truly immersive viewing experience with its curved screen, only one in ten Britons feel that it will be a vital part of our lives. This is despite the rise in sales of Smart TVs* and the popularity of having on demand content at our fingertips at home. In contrast to what we feel will be vital to us in the future, it is things like smart clothing that monitors your temperature, and health monitoring toilets that we are most excited to try out, closely followed by face recognition technology (31%), smart books (23%), and interactive gaming walls 13%). Kelly Dorset, Head of Products and Digital Care at Plusnet says,
“With broadband being key to the operation of so many new technologies, it’s very important for Plusnet to make sure our services match the demand of consumers. Research like this shows how important it is to listen to our customers and ensure we tailor our advice, bandwidth and service to the technology they want now and in the future.”
What do you think will be the most useful technology for you in the future? Let us know in the comments section below or on our forum. *Smart TV sales saw an increase in sales by 55% in 2013 according to Strategy Analytics