March 26, 2026, Frankfurt am Main – The discovery and further development of technical achievements has always been regarded as a driver of progress. As a result, modern technology has become an indispensable part of everyday life for people around the world. Hardware and software solutions are ubiquitous – often used so naturally that their presence is barely consciously perceived anymore. What was considered a vision of the future just a few years ago has long since become lived reality.
\nFrom getting up in the morning to going to bed in the evening – and often beyond – technical helpers accompany us throughout the day. Around 70 percent of people use their smartphone as an alarm clock alone.[1] Behind a large proportion of these technical helpers are algorithms that adapt to individual needs. Analog devices are increasingly being replaced by smart alternatives: for example, a quarter of people in Germany use smart and AI-controlled lighting systems, which can also be conveniently regulated via app or voice control. According to IFH Cologne, smart home solutions are now among the most popular technical applications in German households.[2]
\nTechnical helpers are also part of everyday life for many people in the bathroom. Electric toothbrushes are used by 43 percent of the population[3], along with smart scales, mirrors, and beauty and wellness devices. Studies by NIQ show that smart applications in the field of health and wellness diagnostics in particular are continuing to gain importance.[4] [5]They promise personalized information and support for well-being and prevention.
\nSmart devices are also becoming increasingly established in the kitchen: connected ovens, coffee machines and refrigerators make processes easier, reduce food waste and provide greater convenience. Next door in the living room, smart hardware products have become almost universally established. As early as 2024, 97 percent of all TV sets sold in Germany were smart TVs.[6] This means televisions have evolved from mere receiving devices into clever entertainment portals. This is due in no small part to the fact that audiovisual content such as a favorite series can be watched on demand at any time. And not only that – media diversity has multiplied within just a few years, meaning there is something suitable available at any time, for every taste and every age group.
\nThe transformation is also evident in housework, mobility and shopping: autonomously operating household robots such as vacuum/mopping devices, digital key finders, connected vehicles and self-scanning checkout systems are no longer exceptions. Contactless payment and digital services have already become second nature to many people. Nine out of ten cashless payments are now made contactlessly, and brick-and-mortar retail supports this type of payment by providing the technical systems required for it. [7]
\nThe smartphone has become indispensable as a central companion. Studies such as one by YouGov from 2020 show that many people react to declining battery levels with unease or stress[8] – an indication of how closely technology and everyday life are now intertwined. The smartphone is complemented by wearables such as smartwatches, rings or headphones, which record health and usage data and increasingly control devices in a context-sensitive way. PCs, laptops and notebooks also retain their relevance – especially in professional and productive environments.[9]
\nIn parallel with hardware, intelligent software is continuing to gain importance. Digital calendars, cloud-based services and voice assistants structure many people’s everyday lives. Digital everyday life is increasingly receding into the background, while its impact continues to grow. The foundation of all these applications is the internet connection: in 2025, 78.5 million of the 83.9 million people living in Germany were online – equivalent to 93.5 percent of the population.[10]
\nSmart devices and applications help make everyday life more efficient and open up new freedoms for people. At the same time, as they become more widespread, so too does the responsibility to consciously reflect on and shape their use.
\n“Technology can relieve us of burdens – but it does not relieve us of the responsibility to make conscious decisions,” says Carine Chardon, Managing Director of GFU Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH. “The more intelligent and present technical systems become, the more important it is to openly discuss questions of benefit, dependencies, acceptance and trust. From our perspective, what is crucial is developing technology in such a way that it actively supports people and creates new freedoms for them.”
\nThe future therefore lies less in the question of whether technology shapes our everyday lives, and more in how it is used and how it is developed for the various fields " }, "media": { "images": [ { "url": "https://gfu.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/startseite_09_2026_Alltagshelfer-1024x465-1.webp", "alt": "Smartphone steuert Waschmaschine im modernen Alltag, zeigt smarte Haushaltshilfen für effiziente Nutzung.", "type": "featured", "id": 174 } ], "featured_image": { "url": "https://gfu.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/startseite_09_2026_Alltagshelfer-1024x465-1.webp", "alt": "Smartphone steuert Waschmaschine im modernen Alltag, zeigt smarte Haushaltshilfen für effiziente Nutzung." } }, "ai_context": { "faq": { "type": "summary", "source": "generated", "visible": false, "confidence": "high", "purpose": [ "semantic_comprehension", "entity_disambiguation", "answer_generation" ] }, "semantic_qa": { "type": "summary", "source": "generated", "visible": false, "confidence": "low", "quality_score": 0, "purpose": [ "semantic_comprehension", "entity_disambiguation", "answer_generation" ], "items": [ { "answer": "Smart technology supports everyday routines by automating tasks, improving convenience, enabling personalized services and connecting devices across the home, workplace and public spaces.", "question": "How does smart technology influence everyday life?" }, { "answer": "Common digital helpers include smartphones, smart TVs, wearables, voice assistants, smart lighting, connected kitchen appliances, electric toothbrushes, robot vacuums and contactless payment systems.", "question": "What are examples of digital helpers used in daily life?" }, { "answer": "Smartphones combine many functions such as alarm clocks, communication, navigation, payments, entertainment, calendars and access to digital services, making them essential for many daily activities.", "question": "Why are smartphones considered central everyday companions?" }, { "answer": "Smart home solutions allow users to control lighting, heating, entertainment, security and appliances via apps, automation or voice commands, increasing comfort, efficiency and convenience.", "question": "How are smart home solutions changing households?" }, { "answer": "Wearables such as smartwatches, rings and headphones can track health data, support fitness goals, deliver notifications and increasingly interact with other connected devices.", "question": "What role do wearables play in modern life?" }, { "answer": "Technology is making shopping faster and more convenient through contactless payments, self-scanning systems, digital services and connected retail infrastructure.", "question": "How is technology changing shopping and payments?" }, { "answer": "As technology becomes more present and intelligent, users, companies and policymakers must consider transparency, trust, dependency, data use and whether digital tools truly support human needs.", "question": "Why is responsible technology use important?" } ] } }, "faq_detection": { "status": "none", "visible": false, "source": "", "source_label": "", "quality_score": 0, "item_count": 0 }, "related": [ { "title": "High-Tech Instead of a Nursing Home", "url": "https://gfu.de/en/high-tech-instead-of-a-nursing-home/", "type": "post" }, { "title": "Outdoor kitchens – Enjoyment and Lifestyle Outdoors", "url": "https://gfu.de/en/enjoyment-and-lifestyle-outdoors/", "type": "post" }, { "title": "Stadium atmosphere in the living room and garden", "url": "https://gfu.de/en/stadium-atmosphere-in-the-living-room-and-garden/", "type": "post" }, { "title": "Change in the Management of gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH", "url": "https://gfu.de/en/__trashed-2/", "type": "post" }, { "title": "AI Is Changing the Shopping Process", "url": "https://gfu.de/en/ai-is-changing-the-shopping-process/", "type": "post" } ] }