Smart appliances differ from traditional ones in many ways. For starters, smart appliances are usually IoT devices connected to the Internet, which lets them communicate with other systems and be controlled remotely by the user from a smartphone or by a connected home system that shuts appliances off when the user leaves the house.
Also, smart appliances can automate tasks, like adjusting settings for energy efficiency or starting a cycle when energy rates are lower. They have software that can be updated over the air, granting new features or performance improvements. Other smart features include maintenance alerts and voice control.