China is expanding its smart-home initiative beyond single devices, aiming to upgrade older homes through integrated systems, with particular emphasis on elderly-friendly features and national standards to ensure interoperability amid rising consumer demand and government support.
China is broadening its smart-home push from single-device upgrades to linked household systems, as the country seeks to lift spending and encourage more comprehensive renovation of older homes. In Nanning, Guangxi, a retired couple cited by Xinhua used the trade-in programme to replace an ageing air conditioner with a smart model that can take voice commands, be managed through an app and adjusted remotely by family members living elsewhere.
On Monday, eight government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, released an action plan aimed at expanding smart-home consumption. The measures cover seven areas: increasing high-quality supply, improving standards, supporting consumer demand, developing products for older people, streamlining recycling, upgrading community services and strengthening fiscal and financial support, according to Xinhua and The Peninsula Qatar.
The plan is designed to push manufacturers towards deeper research and development, while also encouraging furniture chains and shopping centres to build smart-home experience zones and demonstration rooms. It also calls for faster work on grading, evaluation and mandatory national standards for connectivity and interoperability, a sign that Beijing wants devices from different brands to work more smoothly together.
The policy fits a wider shift in consumer behaviour. A white paper from the China Household Electrical Appliances Association said buyers are moving from basic replacement purchases towards higher-quality, lifestyle-led upgrades. It identified 2026 trends including more proactive automation, stronger health-related uses, growing appliance robotisation and the rise of whole-home artificial intelligence systems.
For older residents, the plan places particular emphasis on easier-to-use products, dialect recognition, safety features and smart care tools. Xinhua said home service robots were already being used in more than 500 paid households, while a report by the China Software Testing Centre projected that the elderly-care service robot market would exceed 10 billion yuan in 2026.
The smart-home measures also sit within China’s broader consumer trade-in push. Government figures cited by Xinhua said the nationwide programme generated 1.1 trillion yuan in sales in the first half of 2026, with home-appliance trade-ins reaching 63.27 million units and purchases of digital and smart products hitting 79.1 million units. Reuters has also reported that Beijing allocated ultra-long special treasury bond funds to support the 2026 trade-in scheme, giving local authorities more room to tailor subsidies to local demand.
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