Smart Home Adoption, Awareness on the Rise

Consumers are more aware of smart home devices, and plan to purchase more of such devices in the future, a survey commissioned by PlumChoice and the Z-Wave Alliance reveals.

home automation houseTitled "2016: Year of the Smart Device," the survey highlights the need for companies to provide consumers a user experience allowing smart home devices to easily fit into their lives. It states 52% of respondents plan to buy a smart device in the next 2 years, while 84% of smart device owners might buy another in the next 2 years.

The majority of consumers own a 4-6 smart home devices, and 61% have interconnected at least some of those devices. As such, interoperability is a key factor as consumers add more connected devices.

Smart appliances (smart refrigerator, washer/dryer etc) and smart smoke detectors are among the smart home products with the highest Y-o-Y growth, with 267% and 250% respectively. All types of services and support expected from brands has increased since 2015, with installation support listed as a top need (68%).

“The smart home industry is thriving, and many companies are recognizing that their success is dependent on a seamless consumer user experience,” PlumChoice says. “Last year was a pivotal year for the smart home industry, with the number of people who own a smart device increasing by a staggering 259%. As smart home device adoption continues to grow, brands must cater to consumers who are expecting support services as part of their purchase, and at the very least provide installation support.”

“It’s clear from our data that not only has the smart home arrived, but the benefits of adding connectivity to the things in our home are finally being realized,” the Z-Wave Alliance adds. “It’s exciting to finally see consumers understanding the value of connecting multiple devices together and to see categories like smart security, thermostats and safety grow year over year.”

Go 2016: Year of the Smart Device