Consumers Most Interested in Using Technology That Learns Their Needs and Recognises Their Lifestyle
While current ownership and use of smart home technology is low, interest in using technology that provides the ability to remotely control and monitor their home, appliances and devices, and learns behaviors, which can save money and provide a more secure home environment, is high.
A recent study from the Digital Home Observatory (DHO) at Strategy Analytics (www.strategyanalytics.com) surveying interest in smart home technology for consumers in the UK, USA and China found regional differences in preference for technology type. Respondents in the UK were most interested in owning and using environment/energy (e.g. heating system remote automation) smart home technology; respondents in China were most interested in security (e.g. remote alarm monitoring); while respondents in the US were equally most interested in owning security and media (e.g. TV programming and content). However, respondents in all three regions were most interested in owning and using smart home technology that knows them - learning their needs and recognizing their lifestyle.
Taryn Tulay, report author and Senior Analyst commented, "No matter the type of smart home technology, whether it is for media, security or environment/energy, consumers expect smart home technology to consolidate devices within their home. It is imperative that this type of technology seamlessly integrates into the consumers' lives so that they don't need to think and work too hard to use and control it. Rather, their home thinks and works for them."
Continued Tulay, "The convenience of having all media devices within the home connected, and easily controlled and monitored via a single device or hub is appealing. For consumers in this study, the smartphone was the most preferred device to do this as it provides a familiar user interface and a device that is nearby at all times."
Diane O'Neill, Director, User Experience Practice, added, "Instead of attempting to penetrate the home of the everyday consumer by forcing on them an expensive, all-inclusive smart home system, it is in the manufacturers' and service providers' best interest to provide individual smart home devices that are compatible with multiple ecosystems. Thus, allowing consumers to build their smart home as more devices are incurred. This would also allow the consumer to integrate such technology into their home at their own pace and time."
