Inside the 2030 smart home and what comes next for connected living

With the smart home industry evolving at an ever-increasing pace, our homes are becoming more connected than ever before. From AI-powered appliances to fully automated cleaning systems, much of the innovation we’ve been covering at T3 is focused on making everyday life easier. At the same time, there’s a growing desire for homes to feel calmer, simpler and less overwhelming to manage.

That balance is at the heart of Unilever’s and Kantar Consulting’s report, Future Home Shapers: Unpacking the future of Home Living to 2035. It explores how rapid technological progress, shifting lifestyles and wider societal changes could reshape what people expect from their homes by 2030.

Its core message is not simply that homes will become smarter, but that the most meaningful innovations will be those that make connected living feel more intuitive and are designed to better support the people living in them.

One of the strongest themes emerging is that homes of the future will focus as much or more on human connection and wellbeing as on the technology that enables it. As digital life continues to expand and traditional social spaces evolve, people are increasingly looking to the home as a place to reconnect with the physical world around them.

The report highlights that shared rituals such as family meals and device-free connection time are expected to grow in importance, as people search for balance in an always-on world. At the same time, rising mental health pressures mean households are placing greater value on environments that support joy, creativity and emotional comfort. From cosy spaces to activities that encourage self-expression, the home is increasingly viewed as somewhere that should actively support wellbeing.

Technology will still play an important role, but it’s likely to work more in the background – enhancing everyday life rather than replacing real-world interactions. Features such as smart lighting, improved air quality and connected wellness devices are expected to become common, helping households support both their physical and mental health in subtle, unobtrusive ways.

The report also points to the home becoming a ever-greater source of stability and resilience in an uncertain world. As economic, environmental and social pressures continue to fluctuate, households will look more and more for environments that offer a sense of control and security.

The way people manage everyday life at home is also evolving. Shifting family structures and the rise of dual-income households are placing greater pressure on how domestic responsibilities are shared. As a result, solutions that help simplify or automate household tasks are becoming even more valuable.

All of this indicates that connected appliances and smart home devices are well positioned to reduce the frictions, making routine tasks easier to manage and freeing up time for more meaningful activities. It’s a trend we’re already seeing play out in categories like robot vacuums and kitchen automation including the fast-growing auto dose washing machine category, where the focus is increasingly on saving time and reducing complexity.

As homes become more connected, the opportunity is no longer just in smarter appliances, but in appliances and everyday household products that work together more seamlessly.

That is already taking shape in Unilever and Samsung’s ongoing partnership, first announced in 2024, which is transforming how we do laundry in the home. One example is Unilever’s recently launched Smart Series range. Developed in conjunction with Samsung, it has been specially designed for use in auto-dosing washing machines. Powered by PRO-CISION Technology, and designed to work alongside auto dose washing machines, the range delivers advanced stain removal in sync with your washing machine and its anti-clogging formula for smooth machine flow prevents build up compared to traditional products.

The Future Home Shapers Report suggests that the homes of 2030 will not simply be shaped by connected technology for its own sake, but that the bigger opportunity lies in making them feel more supportive and easier to live in – where technology, appliances and everyday household products work together to simplify routines and better fit around modern lifestyles.