Gadgets Consumer Insights

Trend - Audio hardware manufacturers are designing high-end turntables that blend modern conveniences with the analog audio quality of turntables. These premium devices are also designed with unique aesthetics to serve as a design piece as much as a functional piece of audio technology.

Insight - Audio professionals and audiophile hobbyists alike typically have higher standards than the norm when it comes to selecting technology. Important factors often include frequency ranges of the audio, compatibility with different forms of media, the overall quality of the components, and more. In order to appeal to these consumers, while offering devices that are an experience as much as a functional piece of technology, brands are launching premium turntables for higher-income consumers.

Trend - Brands are creating small, portable devices that help users locate and keep track of personal belongings, such as keys, wallets, bags, and pets. These devices work with smartphone applications to provide real-time location information, allowing users to find misplaced items easily.

Insight - Consumers with valuable assets frequently seek effective solutions to prevent theft, loss, or damage to their belongings while away from home. In response, brands are crafting smart tracking devices that allow consumers to monitor the real-time location of their items, reassuring them that their valuables are safe and secure throughout trips. Businesses that accommodate the demand for asset protection can attract consumers who prioritize peace of mind, whether traveling or commuting.

Trend - Brands in the smart home space are releasing smart air conditioners designed to adapt to the needs of the residents. Some such air conditioners feature modes that monitor a user's body temperature and use AI algorithms to ensure their comfort, while others enable personalized app connectivity.

Insight - Some of the most common symptoms women experience in the perimenopausal and menopausal stages are hot flashes, or in some cases cold flashes. While these women often resort to traditional means of controlling body temperatures by using heated blankets or cooling pillows, the introduction of AI in the smart home space is making body temperature control more natural and intuitive. Brands are addressing the needs of these women with smart air conditioners that adjust based on body temperatures.

Trend - Appliance companies are releasing countertop composters designed for the kitchen. These composters accept food waste and paper-based products, which they then transform into usable fertilizers. These feature tight seals to keep scents trapped, and removable components for easy maintenance.

Insight - Environmentally-conscious consumers are acutely aware of the amount of food waste they produce. Often, these consumers will opt for products with both eco-friendly ingredients and packaging. However, discarding such packaging and producing food waste are still inevitable in the kitchen. For consumers who would like to further reduce their environmental footprint in the kitchen, brands are creating countertop composters that enable these consumers to see their eco-friendly impact in real-time.

Trend - 3D printing brands are creating more unique 3D printers that either use a tool-switcher, or several concurrent tools, to print single projects that utilize more than one material. These multi-material printers are designed for more advanced printing jobs for personal or professional use.

Insight - 3D printing is one such field that has grown far larger than just being a hobby for most. Many consumers create businesses, or streamline their startups, by using 3D printers to save drastically on production costs. However, for more complex products, 3D printing was not always viable, leading to these businesses needing to source product components from traditional manufacturing facilities. However, 3D printing brands are now catering to these needs with multi-material and multi-tool printers.

Trend - Retailers are deploying in-store kiosks powered by artificial intelligence (AI). These AI kiosks interpret and make recommendations for consumers interacting with them, thus streamlining the retail process. The advent of AI kiosks also reduces the required staff and, thus, costs for retailers.

Insight - Smart technologies are arguably the largest contributor to the ever-increasing number of retailers with seamless, stress-free in-store experiences. Consumers who shop in-stores enjoy the benefits of assistance from employees, as well as the ability to demo items that they may not have known about prior to entering the store. To further improve these experiences for consumers, brands are launching smart kiosks that use AI to assist, make recommendations to, and process payments from, consumers.

Trend - Brands are making portable espresso makers designed for camping and travel applications. These are durable with long-lasting batteries, often including secondary features such as lights or app connectivity. Portable espresso makers target the traveling on-the-go or outdoorsy adult demographic.

Insight - Many adults today live with busy schedules and only a select amount of free time. As a result, these consumers look to save time and effort in their day wherever possible. For some, this means meal planning and scheduling, while others turn to smart apps and digital solutions to save time and money. Appliance brands and startups are appealing to these consumers, often through crowdfunding, by launching a compact espresso makers designed for portability and reliability,

Trend - Hardware brands in the audio industry are releasing convenient, modern devices designed to reinvigorate retro forms of media. These devices add modern features to CD players, cassette tape players, or record players, removing much of the hassle from listening to these forms of media.

Insight - While many consumers in the modern era turn to subscription-based streaming services for all of their music needs, audiophiles and collectors still amass large collections of physical media. These consumers gravitate toward physical media whether for novelty or quality. However, many do not use their collections due to the hassle associated with outdated media players, such as requiring direct power and wired speakers. Brands are releasing convenient devices to target these consumers.

Trend - Outdoor gadget brands are integrating mosquito-repelling features into less traditional devices. These multifunctional devices, such as lights, speakers, or air purifiers, repel unwanted insects from camping areas, ensuring consumers can enjoy their outdoor activities uninhibited.

Insight - Consumers who spend a lot of time outside, such as those who frequently enjoy camping, barbecues, or even simply spending time on their patio, know the struggles associated with unwanted insects, such as mosquitos or bees. However, many of these consumers are not willing to invest in a device specifically to repel the insects, as this may not fit in their budgets. In response to this, brands are integrating mosquito-repelling technologies into outdoor gadgets that would be purchased regardless.

Trend - Kitchen appliance brands are releasing compact range hoods designed to sit on a countertop. These hoods are not permanent fixtures, as per the norm, and are instead portable, meaning they can be stored away when not in use. These hoods are designed for homes that are more strict on space.

Insight - As the cost of living continues to rise to crisis levels, consumers are tasked with saving money wherever possible. For homeowners, this often means investing in smaller, more affordable alternatives to full-size appliances or tools. Simple everyday devices, such as ovens or refrigerators, can be expensive and cumbersome to fit in more modest homes. As a result of this, brands in the kitchen appliance space are releasing lower-cost, more portable solutions.