Chinese smart home brands are shaping the future of connected living – and I saw it firsthand
A trip to Shenzhen revealed the technology driving the next generation of smart homes
When you write about smart homes and connected living on a daily basis, you quickly develop a good sense of what's actually innovative and what's simply jumping on the latest trend. However, after years of testing smart home gadgets of every shape and size, I've noticed one thing – many of the products pushing the industry forward are coming from Chinese brands, and they're doing so at a pace that few others can match.
The funny thing is that many of the brands we discuss daily here at T3 are Chinese companies. I'm talking about Aqara, Roborock, Dreame, Xiaomi, SwitchBot, Haier, EZVIZ and countless others. These aren't niche brands anymore – they're some of the biggest names in the industry and are responsible for many of the products that continue to push the category forward.
That's why, when I was invited by iMpact to attend the Global Connect Show in Shenzhen and learn more about the technology shaping the next generation of connected living, there was never really any chance of me saying no.
For those unfamiliar, GCS is a networking event organised by iMpact that gives Chinese technology brands a platform to expand their presence across the UK, Europe and the US. At the same time, it offers journalists and industry professionals an opportunity to get hands-on with emerging technologies long before they reach mainstream audiences. Trade shows such as CES and IFA are fantastic for this too, but attending an event in the heart of China's technology ecosystem provides a completely different perspective.
The first thing that struck me when I walked through the doors was just how many familiar names were in attendance. Perhaps that's inevitable when you spend your days speaking with European PR teams from brands such as Dreame, TCL, Amazfit and Olight, but it was refreshing to see these companies on home turf and hear directly about where their ideas originate.
One brand that particularly stood out was Dreame. Having already tested many of its best robot vacuum cleaners, it was fascinating to see products that haven't even reached Western markets yet and hear more about the thinking behind them. I was especially excited to get a closer look at the new Window Cleaning Robot C2, the successor to the popular C1 that launched last year. It also served as a reminder of just how far ahead some Chinese brands are moving, considering the C1 only arrived over here towards the end of 2025.
Lymow was another standout, showcasing its new Lymow One Plus robot mower. I'd already recently covered the mower before attending the event, but seeing it up close only strengthened my belief that Chinese robot mower brands are currently miles ahead of many of their European rivals when it comes to innovation and overall product design.
Dreame Window Cleaning Robot C2
However, some of the most interesting discoveries came from brands I'd never encountered before. One example was Rootique and its Duo Gen 2, which the company describes as the world's first micro-mist scalp infusion device. It sits more in the wellness category than the smart home space, but it perfectly demonstrates the level of creativity on display throughout the event. With patented IntelliMist and DuoTrace technology, integrated 660nm red light therapy and a reported 3.5x boost in absorption, it immediately made me wonder why nobody had attempted something similar before.
Another company I hadn't encountered before but am now very glad I discovered was Cozyla. Its range of smart displays, digital calendars, tablet-style TVs and digital photo frames are all designed to blend naturally into the home, creating a noticeably different approach to competitors.
Rootique's GCS stand
Truthfully, I could go on all day about the brands, products and ideas that were on display at GCS. However, what became increasingly clear throughout the event is that many of the companies shaping the future of connected living aren't necessarily the household names most people in the UK or US immediately think of.
Whether it's creating entirely new product categories, refining existing ones at an incredible pace or embracing emerging technologies such as Matter and AI, Chinese brands are playing a huge role in driving the smart home industry forward.
Having seen so much of it up close, there's one thing I'd like more people to realise: many of the products we'll be talking about in a few years' time may well have started life in Shenzhen long before they ever appear on shelves closer to home.
