Data-twins & programmability. Devices all use bespoke software & services to run. Representing devices in a portable, cross device manner still has a long way to go. Until developers & users regain direct unmediated positions of power over their devices, there are not valid starting conditions for iot. Having a representative state transfer that can be monkeyed with independently & then pushed at a device seems like 200-levels work we havent really made good yet.
Using something like Akri to operationalize peripheral management across the network... that's one i intend to wade into some someday.
But the worst isn't that such appliances exist. That would just be opt-in, the worst is that entire lines of products become "smart" and if you want to avoid all that complexity, surface of failure, surface of attack, and in short, headaches, you just have no option.
Try to find a "dumb" TV with more than 32". It's basically impossible in my country. There's no such thing. I've been trying to replace my old TV since 2019 and I see I won't be able unless I get into the second-hand market, which of course will dry up of such products one day.
Then you go to complain to your techie community and you get responses like "just don't connect it to the internet dude!". It's depressing to see that so many techies miss the point entirely.
Fully autonomous nuclear powered drones that look and act exactly like hummingbirds that deliver messages to people in remote locations. Project: Bird is the word. Totally not a multipurpose project for spying. Idea inspired by BirdsArentReal [1]
If that gets denied by the FAA then I would go with trompetenaccoun's idea.
[1] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK1dXuMEpT0 [video]