Next week the largest technology trade show in North America takes place and we at Coldwell Banker Real Estate couldn’t be more excited. Not only are we a title co-sponsor the inaugural Smart Home Marketplace at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), but as lovers of all things tech and home it gives us the chance to see what gadgets will improve the place we love to go back to.

Last year, was really the first year that smart home tech came into prominence at CES so this year we are expecting even more innovations to be on display. As we peer into our Magic 8 ball, we came up with a few predictions for what we expect to see from smart home tech on display at CES in Vegas.

Cross-Device Friendliness

Smart home devices came into prominence as stand-alone units that performed a singular task. But with our homes now having more than one Internet-connected device in it, there’s a desire to make these products talk to each other or at least work in harmony. The Nest thermostat was one of the first to do this and the hopes were that Apple’s HomeKit software would usher in this new order. Instead we’re seeing players like Amazon’s Echo and Google’s OnHub starting to create an ecosystem for smart home products to work in tandem. Smart home solution providers like Vivint and Alarm.com are offering a suite of services and products from one source. At CES, there will certainly be more of these types of offerings being promoted and I expect a number of big announcements between smart home vendors touting how they are working together to create a truly connected home.

Security is the New Black

Home is peace of mind, and the smart home should give you that. Smart home tech’s version of security has typically been the addition of cameras in your home to be able to monitor what’s going on from anywhere. But this year I expect someone to break the mold and provide a more holistic smart security system. What will that look like? I’m not sure, but I have to believe smart home security devices will evolve beyond just Dropcams at this year’s CES.

Amazon Echo Will Be the Killer Smart Home Device

Don’t look know, but Amazon just might be the leader in yet another industry. The Amazon Echo, which at first glance felt like a large imitation Siri, is becoming the killer smart home device. The Echo can already create shopping lists, tell you the weather, control your lights and play your music library with a simple command, but is it too much of a stretch to think that Echo can pre-heat your oven or answer the front door in the coming year? I don’t think so. Never underestimate how far Amazon is willing to go to dominate a new field and as someone who has just welcomed Echo (or Alexa) into his home, I can see the possibilities that about with this simple voice-controlled device.

Wearables and Smart Home Unite

At last year’s CES I was stunned at how many wearable tech devices were being released. Watches, shoes, clothing and jewelry that monitor your vitals or deliver data right to your wrist are all common place. Instead of relying solely on the smart phone, I believe smart home vendors will look for simple ways to integrate smart home commands into wearable devices. The Apple Watch and many Android smart watches can perform simple tasks, but I think we’ll see the automation and integration of smart home and wearables significantly increase at this year’s CES. A world is soon coming where when the alarm on my smart watch goes off to wake me up, it automatically brews my coffee, starts to heat up the water in preparation for a shower and organizes my headlines and sports highlights for viewing at breakfast on my tablet or smart phone.

All of this and much more will be unveiled at CES starting January 6th. Be sure to check our coverage of everything smart home related throughout the week at ces.coldwellbanker.com or join the conversation on Twitter using the #CESCB hashtag.

Or if you’re interested in finding a smart home of your own, we have plenty of options that you may want to explore at coldwellbanker.com.