Editorial
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ISSN 1477-8092
In our first issue of 2026 we take a look at the latest developments in Smart Home. It seems a while now since talk of high IQ fridges and hoovers was all the rage. Of course, we’ re all very used to‘ smart’ doorbells – indeed they’ re among the world’ s most prolific producers of reality TV – but that’ s about it for the IoT revolution for most of us.
Security was always going to be the frontrunner and home energy management is now growing fast spurred by huge price rises for power. But in the face of AI inserting itself into every aspect of our lives, the rest seems a little passé now doesn’ t it?
While the economic viability of the heavily investing AI companies is still questionable, unquestionable is the effect on the wider economy. It is already apparent that the massive upsides will be accompanied by unemployment – including in some surprising places – and that the job losses are arriving a long time before the putative advantages.
Back in the more prosaic world of dollars and cents, the big story of 2026 is a holdover from 2025 – the Netflix v Paramount battle for WBD. Some, including James Cameron – though he seems to change his mind often – think Paramount’ s nepo dollar bid will be better for the theatrical release of movies.
Certainly, Netflix should be held to iron guarantees on release windows. But if Paramount wins, two of the big six studios will be under its control. It will be a huge company in quite a mess and with an absolute mountain of debt – consolidation will be a critical path. Perhaps Paramount should commit to spin-off WB studios to maintain its independence and pay down some debt? Meantime, their bid has that timeworn look of a not great company thinking its problem is it needs to be bigger and this should be achieved by taking over another company that is even less great. It’ s never ended well and it never will.
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