Smart Products vs Connected Devices: What’s the Difference?
For product manufacturers, it is essential to hold new technologies and execute and combine modern systems and processes to stay in the competition. Both consumers as well as enterprises want to make their lives simpler and with smart and connected products there are numerous possibilities and multiple real-world applications that are supporting to make a positive difference.
As per global market intelligence companies, the connected products market will be giving up to $457 billion by the end of year. As per 2018 study, one in three U.S. consumers now own at least two “smart home” devices. While virtual assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri have entered mainstream awareness, relatively few people could clearly understand what it means for these devices to be “smart” and not simply “connected.”
Smart” and “connected” products generally have the same goal of making the user’s life simpler. So what exactly is the difference between these two terms and what are some of their essential applications?
What is Connected Technology?
Generally connected products have been around for some time as long as technology such as the Internet has been accessible to connect them up. However, in modern terminology the term “connected device” mainly refers to a product with a real-world function that’s connected to the Internet in order to transfer data or be managed remotely.
This may be attained through physical cables, but generally it’s managed wirelessly through a technology such as WiFi or Bluetooth. The concept “Internet of Things” (IoT) is utilized to outline the huge network of connected devices and systems that ensemble and exchange data. Connected devices are remotely controlled and analyzed whereas mobile app can be utilized to connect the device. You can prepare your coffee by giving simply instructions from your mobile phone and once the coffee is ready you will get notification. You can also set brew time, aroma etc. straight away from your mobile phone. Connectivity type can be a Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LTE or wired.
Most of us already reside in connected homes because we have LAN lines and wireless networks. When a home is connected, it means that devices in the home can interface with each other via the internet. For instance, your laptop communicates with your wireless printer via Wi-Fi to print pages. Connected devices, however, cannot manage one another without specific Wi-Fi connection. If you’re sitting in a Starbucks using their Wi-Fi, then your laptop cannot send a message to your printer back home.
In addition to that, connected homes only require a Wi-Fi or LAN line connection to Interface.
What is Smart Technology?
While connected devices may take some easy actions depends on what they recognize in the environment, their primary aim is to send and receive data. Smart devices, on the other hand, have smart behavior that allows devices to react to real-world situations and even forecast the requirements of their users.
However configuration flexibility is limited, but they are fast and coherent in doing what they are suppose to do. For example, smart coffee machine with press of few designed buttons it can give you a ready cup of hot coffee. Another example is smart thermostat that controls the temperature of your room. 
Smart devices usually have more complex hardware architecture, involving things such as sensors, microprocessors, data storage, controls and embedded operating systems. Smart technology carries connected technology just a little bit ahead.
With the help of smart technology, devices within a network can be connected and managed, doing more than just sharing files. You can instruct your heating, cooling system and window shades all through your phone and you need not to be home to do it. You just require to be connected to any Wi-Fi. That means once your devices start working together, then you will have smart technology, rather than just connected technology.
There are various levels of smart technology. Many homeowners are likely to be familiar with various smart devices such as Google Play, Amazon Echo etc. All these devices can be used without any large installation processes: just take them out of the box and plugin them.
Modern-Day Applications of Smart Products
There are numerous possibilities of how smart products might have real-world utility.
• Manufacturing
When manufacturing equipments and machines unexpectedly breaks down can be extremely costly in terms of repair and also it will hamper productivity. Sensors connected to the mechanical parts can recognize issues and will send an alerts and notifications to the concerned authority. In this way Predictive Maitenance can be achieved.
• Vehicles
Modern vehicles generally include intelligent diagnostics system that can automatically rectify dangerous operating conditions and intercept catastrophic failures. Of course, self-driving cars are ultimate the “smart” vehicle. A smart self-driving car uses its onboard sensors and on the other end internet connectivity improves the in-car experience of its users. Communication between the cars with other IoT devices is integral part of this system.
• Home
Smart homes enclosed with Smart products that are loaded with possibilities to make our lives simpler, more suitable and more comfortable. “Smart” home products contain thermostats that automatically regulate the temperature depends on your preferences and refrigerators that send you prompt to go shopping when you’re running out of stock of ingredients.
And from smart homes, the next relevant step is smart cities, which would take the IoT to the next level.
So, what is the difference between Smart Products and Connected Devices?
There seems to be a little bit confusion about what a smart product represents and what a connected device is? A simple door or window sensor that tracks the condition of your home’s entryways is an example of a connected device. These devices simply let you know if a window or door is slightly open.
A smart device usually has an operating system that will allow you to connect with other information services, entertainment services or apps. Let’s take an example Smartphone, for example. Not only does the device empower you to browse the internet and make calls, but it also allows you connect to apps that unlock countless possibilities. Some wireless home speakers are simply connected, empowering you to play music from your smartphone via Bluetooth connection, while others that can be managed by, say, Amazon’s cloud-based voice assistant (Alexa) are considered as a smart device.
Recurring revenue models
However, this is the era where everything will move away from a simple product purchase and instead will become a subscription pay-for-use or service model. Formerly, manufacturers have lost control of their product once it leaves the factory. By connecting their products, manufacturers can now easily track, analyze and control product data at any phase of its lifecycle at any time and any place across the globe.
Not only this has broadly improved its contracted service levels, but also made repairing faults much quicker and more systematic and has helped to outline customer loyalty by creating a great user experience. It has also empowered them to acquire recurring revenue on top of the original product sale and largely improve their profits.
Examples of Smart vs. Connected Devices
To clearly understand the difference between smart and connected devices, let’s take the example of a light switch which is the most basic electrical device. Now what you will do with a light switch if it were connected to the Internet through a sensor: you could see whether it was on or off and toggle it remotely from anywhere in the world. While you could definitely call this light switch a connected device.
A “smart” light switch would go further on the simple connectivity, with features outlined to make the user’s life simpler. Motion-activated light switches can be seen as a type of smart device: they turn on and off whenever you enter or leave a room.
Advanced smart devices are capable to go even beyond and adapt to the situations, conditions of individual users. They can even “learn” from experience, interpreting your behavior and preferences in order to make your life more efficient.
For example, generally you may not want to turn on the light in the middle of the night. Sometimes, however, you might want to be awake at night such as if you have a flight early in the morning, in such cases if the light detects a large amount of motion it might concluded to turn itself on anyway.
This is the major point of differentiation between devices that are “smart” and those that are simply “connected.”
While the market is flooded with smart devices, now and in the near future we suppose to see more and more truly Smart IoT Devices , as cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques are making their way into consumer products.
The Internet of Things is now changing the way companies build, sell, support their products and by accumulating real-time data it uncloses a whole new range of possibilities to improve value, develop customer loyalty and accelerate data-driven decision making.