Consumer electronics, CE, are electronic
devices designed for daily personal use by individuals. Examples of these devices are smartphone,
smart watches, headphones, walkie-talkies, tablets, TVs, and cameras. The other category of electronics
which we won’t discuss in this article is industrial/business electronics which are designed for large
scale computing, storage or analysis.
Consumer electronics exhibit three main characteristics: personal use, entertainment focus and internet
integration. However, the boundary of their usage is currently blurred because they can be used for
both entertainment, communication, professional and production cases.
Industry and the consumer
Smart Homes
There is a palpable shift from individual devices to Internet of Things, IoT, especially around smart homes. The outdoor cameras no longer records and thrust data into storage, they transfer the data to other systems for processing and analysis. Currently, smart homes are anticipatory systems that orchestrate tasks and prioritize energy efficiency.
Privacy and Security
With great power comes great responsibility, consumer devices assists us in virtually all our daily activities, therefore, they are also the custodians of our data. There is a growing concern about the privacy in using them. IoT for instance has so many nodes increasing vulnerability. Jabs like “the S in IoT stands for Security” are hence justified
Consumer Demands
Consumers are actively agitating for different design and functionalities, for example, there is recent preference for “dumb” devices. Dumb phones are envisioned to reduce reliance on phones and to restrict usage. There is also a growing trend in device-as-a-service, DaaS where devices are not owned by the user but are subscription based.
Impact on Society and Environment
Sustainability
E-waste is spiking in comparison to other environmental wastes. Questions about sustainability of frequent renewal of these gadgets and disposal of the old ones are being asked. Environmentalists are agitating for energy efficient production, effective recycling and use of safe materials in production.
Digital Wellbeing
Even though consumer devices provides more good than harm, the harm is currently off the charts. Concerns about digital wellbeing and mental health arising from their usage are valid.
Emerging Technologies Around Consumer Electronics
As a embedded system programmer, you need to keep up with innovations currently being integrated or used in design and implementation of these devices. The most notable ones are:
Artificial Intelligence, AI and Machine Learning, ML
AI is being tapped into the consumer electronics industry at a very high rate. Smartphones, for example, have predictive maintenance features, biometric security and the ubiquitous conversational AI. This technology enable better maintenance, personalization and general efficiency. In fact, companies are currently working towards an AI Operating System, OS.
Immersive Technology
Technologies like AR/VR/Metaverse are shifting from niche gaming to practical uses like in retail, education and healthcare. These technologies are projected to dominate the consumer electronics industry by the fourth decade of this century.
Form Factor
Form factor is the physical description of an electronic device. Innovations are around foldable phones and flexible displays are being marketed. Also, there is a pursuit for new designs that merge functionalities and ergonomics.
Miniaturization
There is a constant need for smaller and smaller devices for portability and to host powerful machines in small space. For this reason, there are innovations around nanotechnology, organic electronics and advanced IC packaging technologies all working towards portability, energy efficiency and faster computing.