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| • | The perfect powder room. After a stressful few years, some US consumers are adding high-tech gadgets to make their bathrooms more relaxing. More than one-third of washroom renovations involve adding high-tech faucets and self-cleaning toilets with bidets or heated seats, a 2021 survey found. One smart shower on the market produces a 20-minute spray using only two gallons of water. Another connected bathing system lets users control the water’s volume and temperature through an app. [WSJ] | | | | • | Safeguard privacy. Smart home devices can make our lives easier, but with more connected appliances also come added privacy concerns. Consumers often have to provide personal information to manufacturers when installing new devices. To protect themselves, users should consider limiting data access to the minimum amount required to run a device, say security experts. Consumers should also check regularly for software updates, and if a smart appliance seems unsecured, power it off and unplug it. [WaPo] | | | | • | The connected home. Over the past few years, consumers have embraced Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in a remarkable way, McKinsey research shows. “Five years ago, the average American house had one connected device in it,” says McKinsey partner Mark Collins on an episode of The McKinsey Podcast. “Fast forward five years, and homes have over five connected devices on average.” Consumers are more interested in internet-connected physical devices after a prolonged time sheltering at home and after seeing improvements in smart speaker technology, Collins adds. | | | | • | Mistakes were made. One thing that companies get wrong when implementing IoT is that the machines they buy aren’t always connected to each other, says McKinsey Global Institute partner Michael Chui. That can be a problem, since “well over 50% of the value that IoT can provide requires interoperability,” says Chui. For more on what companies are getting wrong about IoT and how connected devices are transforming fields from healthcare to manufacturing, listen to the full podcast. | | | | — Edited by Belinda Yu | | This email contains information about McKinsey’s research, insights, services, or events. By opening our emails or clicking on links, you agree to our use of cookies and web tracking technology. For more information on how we use and protect your information, please review our privacy policy. | | You received this email because you subscribed to the On Point newsletter. | | | | Copyright © 2022 | McKinsey & Company, 3 World Trade Center, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007 | | | |
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