Smart technology is popping up everywhere in today’s homes. It started out with your thermostat, but now it’s moving into alarm systems, window coverings, even your refrigerator. Soon, your new home will be as technologically advanced as a spacecraft — okay, maybe not that advanced but it will certainly feel that way.

The world of home entertainment isn’t escaping this grand advancement in technology. There was a time we considered wireless surround sound to be pretty amazing technology, but that was small potatoes compared to the advances being made right now to make your entertainment experience out of this world.

Shift In Control

No longer are we planted flat on the living room sofa with only three channels to watch, having to get up to change that channel by a knob on the woodgrain television set. It was seemingly ages ago we had to schedule our lives around the time of our favourite program for fear of missing it. Now we have remote control and digital video recording devices to make our lives that much easier.

That being said, television itself is becoming old technology. More and more, consumers are canceling their cable packages in exchange for Netflix and other on-demand types of entertainment. Smartphones, tablets, and even watches are the new norm, carrying content everywhere you go offering access at any given time. Television broadcasters are being forced to innovate in order to remain in the game; even television manufacturers are advancing their products to connect with mobile devices and the Internet in order to sustain their share in technology.

Ultimately, we can all thank (or blame, depending on your opinion!) Steve Jobs for the mass adoption of mobile content consumption. He may not have invented the technology, but his innovative marketing techniques carved a path for change. Starting with a better way to carry around your music — “1,000 songs in your pocket” — the technology evolved into the birth of a new generation of mobile phone that acted more like a computer.

Suddenly we had a way to connect with our content no matter where we were. Mom can watch in the kitchen while making dinner, Dad is in the bonus room catching up on the news, and the kids are enjoying a show in their bedrooms.

Ultimately, this technology birthed a shift in consumer behaviour. Consumers now have full power, and it is they who control the movements and advances in technology, content delivery, and ultimately customer-to-business interactions. Being connected at all times allows for the opportunity to track your entertainment consumption – your favourite technology will know you better, acting as a trusty old friend. 

Our prediction for the years to come? Entertainment will become more personal.

Content Everywhere

Currently, you likely consume content in a number of methods. 60 years ago, there wasn't even a television in every home. Now, most households have two, along with most (if not all) members of your family owning a smartphone, perhaps a tablet, and there is likely at least one computer in the home. Content is distributed differently to all of those devices, but the key factor is that it’s available on-demand.

Even if you have a media room in your home — after all, movies are still best watched on a big screen with amazing surround sound — you'll likely also consume movies, television shows, and maybe your favourite cat videos elsewhere. Even this technology is advancing at an incredible rate.

Think about the recent closure of the mega-media company HMV. Once thriving in the industry of music and movies, the onset of on-demand technology has rendered them basically obsolete in today’s entertainment world. Consumers are purchasing and/or streaming their music (iTunes, Spotify, etc.) and movies (Netflix, CraveTV, etc.) online, thus putting an end to the need for additional equipment such as CD or DVD players. And because their content is available online, any number of mobile devices can deliver this content to consumers in any manner they so choose.

And when we say ‘any manner’ we mean ANY. Refrigerator manufacturers are adopting smart technology to incorporate useful applications into your daily life, and this includes the ability to connect with your content. Cooking dinner? Turn on your favourite show while you sauté. Make a note that you are out of cheese at the same time, which is naturally duplicated on your smartphone and perfectly handy for your trip to the grocery store.

Virtual Reality

VR is rapidly becoming the next major advancement in content consumption. With the introduction of Samsung’s VR headset, media giants’ proverbial eyes are widening to the possibilities. Google has introduced a very cost effective VR viewer that allows you to step into the reality of any number of experiences, including VR videos, unique news delivery, art gallery tours, thousands of games, and a plethora of apps to change your way of viewing the way you receive your content.

We already use the Internet first when shopping for everything from clothing and toys to major purchases such as homes and vehicles. Virtual reality is taking that shopping experience one step further. Audi has introduced a VR experience to test drive their vehicles in a safer manner. It would certainly take some getting used to, but there is something to be said about taking a test drive on the Autobahn without having to fly to Germany.

Home entertainment has become so much more than just movies on a Friday night. Advances in technology have, by far, changed the playing field in terms of what we do with our time at home. What will they invent next? We can’t wait to find out.

Photo credits: TV evolution, Virtual Reality