Forward and beyond, now: Living in the home of the future

MANILA, Philippines – Remember “The Jetsons?”

As a child, you might recall watching this series and being wowed by all the ultramodern innovations presented in it: flying cars, holograms, video calls, jetpacks, drones, smart watches, and smart shoes – just to name just a few.

The Jetsons’ minimalist, futuristic home was a thing of wonder, too: you wished your home could be just like it when you grew up. They have a contraption where they pick from an array of meals and have it churned out instantly, a robot for household help, a robotic toothbrush, and more.

Reel to real

Fast forward to some decades later, and some of what used to be mere visions of brilliant and imaginative minds are now reality.

And they’re not just sleek luxuries, too. Home appliances today are smart, and they have developed to adapt to our fast-paced and hectic lifestyles. Now, even the busiest working parents or yuppies just beginning their independent life will find maintaining their homes a breeze.

Here are some examples:

WHAT IS IT: An-all- in-one oven to make hearty, healthy meals with
WHO MAKES IT: Samsung
WHAT MAKES IT COOL: It’s a yogurt maker, too!

WHAT IS IT: An energy saving ref that keeps food fresher, longer
WHO MAKES IT: Samsung
WHAT MAKES IT COOL: Its Twin Cooling Plus feature not only prevents mixing of odors from the fridge and freezer, it also allows you to switch off certain parts of the ref especially when you’re off to a long trip

WHAT IS IT: A cooking range with multiple cooking functions
WHO MAKES IT: Beko
WHAT MAKES IT COOL: The flame failure device for burners and knob-integrated electronic ignition help avoid fire incidents

WHAT IS IT: A smart washing machine
WHO MAKES IT: Samsung
WHAT MAKES IT COOL: You can connect it to the Internet and control it from wherever with the Smart Home App!

“Home technology has evolved a lot in the past decade, both in design and features,” observed Louie Serrano, Account Manager for Digital Appliances for Samsung.

Global brands are indeed aware of the need for multitasking gadgets and appliances that truly provide convenience, comfort, and safety for its users. As such, they’ve been consistently churning out new innovations that strike the balance between form and function.

Of course, all these come with a price – often a pretty high one at that. And although smart appliances have already been on local shores for quite a while, many customers remain apprehensive about shelling out hard-earned money for these.

“We are a sophisticated market but we are not yet ready to spend so much for technologies or innovations that we can live without,” Dyeun Zapanta, Head of Sales and Marketing for Beko, said.

“The Philippine market in general is considered to be a late adapter of technology compared to Eastern and Western markets. Filipinos also value for money; some of the new technologies for common consumers are good to have, but the willingness to pay extra is a bit too conservative,” he added.

That might be the case now, but both Serrano and Zapanta believe these are worthy investments because customers would be paying for premium, reliable, and durable products.

As most of these are equipped with safety features and other conveniences – such as Beko’s flame failure device for burners and knob-integrated electronic ignition to prevent fires, or Samsung’s Smart App for controlling certain appliances remotely – homes become safer and improved.

Furthermore, smart appliances provide us little luxuries like cooking up easy gourmet meals at home, and more quality time to spend with our families.

One-stop shop

It’s a good thing that these days, all these modern appliances for every kind of consumer are readily available, often all in one place. The SM Appliance Store is one such shop, housing top-of-the-line home appliances from the most trusted local and international brands.

“At SM Appliance Store, we offer affordable prices and terms as well as 10 different ways of paying that won’t hurt your wallet. We also have financing partners that offer affordable schemes that even people without credit cards can avail. And as we celebrate our 25th anniversary, we’re also giving SM Advantage Card, BDO, and Prestige members up to 25% discount on their purchases, free buffet vouchers at Vikings, and even staycation vouchers at Park Inn, Radisson Blu Clark or Cebu, and Tagaytay Vista Lodge Hotel,” Chito A. Mendoza, Vice President for Operations of SM Appliances, explained.

“More and more people are investing on improving everyday living [and] enjoying family time spent at home. If technology will help them have a happier home, they will surely consider buying smart home appliances,” said Chito, adding, “As our everyday tasks become more and more reliant on technology, what was yesterday’s most luxurious is now becoming mainstream.”

Technology continues to grow in leaps and bounds, and we can be sure that in the next few years or so, home appliances will become even more advanced. New innovations will certainly be introduced, too. And as new technologies become the norm, who knows  – inventors just might find ways to make these innovations more accessible for everyone!

Now all we’re waiting for is to have flying cars in our garages and those instant meal makers on our dining tables. – Rappler.com

(All illustrations by Nico Villarete)