With Amazon's Echo now installed in over 1.6 million homes Smart Home technology around the world is becoming more and more mainstream.  Lighting control, wireless speakers and multi room music, smart thermostats and home automation are becoming common.

Google have also launched Home and between the Echo and Home they are igniting users (and business) in a way that's previously been unseen.

Until now, smart home devices have worked in branded isolation. Controlled by native apps, users found it difficult to mix and match devices from different manufacturers.The introduction of smart speakers from Google and Amazon have revolutionised the landscape for consumers.

Homeowners can now piece together smart devices from across the major smart home players so consumers have more choice and the devices themselves become easier to use.  A great deal of debate is devoted to the merits of “Alexa” versus “OK Google”, but more striking is the speed with which householders have adopted smart gadgets especially since they can be controlled within a single ecosystem.Amazon Echo and Google Home are more than just talking speakers, and thanks to Wi-Fi technology, the de facto smart home ecosystem has arrived, and can future proof itself.

Where the US is leading, the UK is quickly following as the technology is released on British shores.

While the UK is considered to still be in the early adopter phase, more than four million Britons have invested in smart devices for their homes creating a market currently valued at £30 million a year.Since the launch of Amazon Echo it has been hard to keep pace with consumer demand for the home’s smart plugs because of the simple integration and endless opportunities for controlling everyday household devices from; lights and slow cookers to portable heaters and hair straighteners.Research from a range of sources demonstrates there is a clear appetite for smart home.