Connected appliances are the future
Connected appliances represent a dynamic frontier, blending IoT and advanced software to redefine home experiences. By harnessing voice-enabled interfaces and touchless experiences, manufacturers can save valuable time on routine tasks while fostering cross-industry digital ecosystems. With over half the world online, there is unprecedented potential to create personalized, immersive solutions for tech-savvy consumers.
As digitalization accelerates, a software-first approach has become vital for product managers aiming to gather usage insights through built-in sensors. These insights streamline future designs and strengthen consumer engagement. Yet, challenges include keeping appliance costs competitive while ensuring robust security, performance, and continuous software stack maintenance, plus unwavering user trust.
Building smart devices with a software-first approach
The industry will create a new ecosystem by collaborating with OEMs, consumer goods manufacturers, and retail channels. The built-in sensors in a smart appliance will provide product managers with invaluable insights into product usage and issues, assisting them in the design of future products. Connected appliances will also make device registration with an owner more streamlined, allowing for more targeted and personalised reach to individuals. The difficulties for manufacturers are twofold. The first is managing appliance costs while adding new features to the product, and the second is addressing technical challenges such as software stack maintenance, security challenges for connected products, and performance management.
Here’s How We Help
Connected Strategy
- Leverage IoT expertise to design secure, scalable, and interoperable platforms that deliver real-time, data-driven insights and personalized experiences.
- Develop user-centric roadmaps integrating voice, touchless, and intuitive interfaces, ensuring seamless consumer engagement and competitive differentiation.
Holistic Engineering
- Offer full-stack development capabilities spanning board design, sensor integration, and embedded software, enabling enhanced device intelligence and performance.
- Employ robust frameworks for connectivity, edge AI, and cloud migrations to accelerate time-to-market and ensure continuous innovation.
End-to-End Support
- Provide continuous software maintenance, upgrades, and security patches to safeguard connected appliances throughout their lifecycle.
- Implement comprehensive testing and validation processes aligned with global standards, guaranteeing consistent quality, reliability, and user satisfaction.
Solution Framework
Our comprehensive service framework unifies device engineering, platform integration, and application development into a seamless solution. We incorporate advanced board designs, sensor integrations, and driver optimizations for edge devices, while enabling robust, scalable cloud or on-prem infrastructures. This holistic approach ensures reliable connectivity, swift AI inference, and superior consumer experiences across diverse appliance ecosystems, ultimately driving sustainable innovation and value.
Smart Edge Device Engineering
Leverage deep domain expertise in home appliances to develop smart devices that seamlessly integrate sensors, connectivity, and onboard processing. Our multidisciplinary teams handle board design, driver development, and low-range communication stacks, ensuring robust performance, reduced latency, and enhanced security for connected appliances across varied operational environments in diverse markets.
Cloud-Enabled Platform Solutions
Enable flexible cloud deployments through proven consulting and migration services, allowing manufacturers to choose on-prem, public, or hybrid architectures. Our experts modernize legacy applications to unlock advanced analytics and real-time monitoring capabilities. Comprehensive managed services provide proactive maintenance, security updates, and seamless scalability, positioning businesses for growth in evolving markets.
Adaptive Applications and AI
Leverage native or hybrid applications to deliver personalized user experiences across devices. We integrate AI solutions—ranging from predictive maintenance to voice recognition—while optimizing performance, localization, and user interfaces. Rigorous testing ensures reliability, and continuous enhancements drive innovation, enabling appliances to evolve with dynamic consumer needs, and globally changing market demands.
Why Tata Elxsi?
- Proven track record across diverse appliance segments globally, ensuring tailored solutions and rapid, tangible results.
- Integrated design, engineering, and prototyping capabilities that truly deliver end-to-end innovation under one specialized roof.
- Expert teams skilled in IoT, AI, and connectivity, fueling robust transformations for tomorrow’s appliance markets.
- Dedicated global development centers providing continuous support, local insights, and agile responses to evolving needs.
- Proactive approach to security, compliance, and sustainability, ensuring long-term user trust and strong brand reputation.
Orient Electric
"Tata Elxsi has been partnering with Orient Electric's R&D team for designing the next generation fans. We have benefited largely from Tata Elxi's ability to understand consumer aspirations and blending technology and creativity to create world-class fans. It has indeed been a pleasure working with the team who have helped in developing insight-led designs."
Sameer Tandon, Sr. VP & Business Unit Head - Fans
Information Hub
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What are the latest trends in digitalizing home appliances?
For many manufacturers, connected features are standard, with voice assistance, remote monitoring, and data analytics at the forefront. Growing adoption of AI-driven personalization and predictive maintenance solutions are also shaping a new era of user convenience. Moreover, sustainability remains a key factor, prompting designs that optimize energy consumption. Brands are increasingly investing in immersive interfaces, including augmented reality for product support. As the market grows, consumers expect seamless integration between their devices and broader smart home ecosystems. Overall, digitalization trends revolve around intelligent automation, user-centric innovation, and real-time insights to deliver robust, tailored experiences.
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How can manufacturers balance cost and feature complexity when developing connected appliances?
Manufacturers can employ a modular approach, prioritizing essential features first and introducing advanced capabilities incrementally. By leveraging standardized components and open-source frameworks, development expenses can be contained without compromising quality. Collaborations with technology partners also mitigate risk and accelerate innovation. Additionally, data analytics from existing products help refine feature sets, focusing on consumer demands that yield the highest return on investment. With thoughtful planning and agile development processes, producers can deliver connected appliances that strike an optimal balance between affordability and functionality, ensuring competitiveness in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
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What are key security considerations for smart appliances?
Smart appliances require rigorous data protection, including secure firmware updates, encryption of data in transit and at rest, and robust access controls. Regular vulnerability assessments are essential to identify and address emerging threats. Additionally, manufacturers should adopt industry best practices such as secure boot and device authentication to prevent unauthorized access or tampering. Beyond technical measures, transparent privacy policies and user education build trust, particularly when personal information is involved. By actively monitoring and patching vulnerabilities, companies can maintain consumer confidence and protect brand reputation over the appliance’s lifespan.
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How do connected appliances enhance consumer experiences?
By integrating voice control, remote monitoring, and intelligent automation, connected appliances allow consumers to manage daily tasks more efficiently. Personalized settings and predictive maintenance features further reduce downtime and improve convenience. Many systems also leverage real-time data analytics to deliver context-specific recommendations, optimizing energy consumption or offering specialized product updates. These dynamic capabilities create immersive, user-centric experiences that support evolving lifestyle demands. Ultimately, connected appliances transform traditionally manual processes into seamless, automated workflows, enabling heightened comfort, time savings, and continuous improvements to product functionality.
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How does Tata Elxsi support long-term product performance for digitalized appliances?
Beyond initial development, Tata Elxsi offers lifecycle services that include regular maintenance, feature enhancements, and security updates. Our engineering teams continually analyze performance data to detect emerging issues, ensuring timely interventions. We follow a proactive approach by refining AI models, updating connectivity stacks, and optimizing resource usage in response to evolving market demands. Moreover, dedicated global support ensures that clients have ongoing access to specialized expertise and rapid turnaround times. This comprehensive approach helps maintain product relevance, user satisfaction, and market competitiveness throughout each appliance’s lifecycle.
