Homeowners with smart-home devices are ahead of the curve. Connected home solutions are still in the early adopter phase worldwide, according to a survey by Gartner Inc. of nearly 10,000 online respondents in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia.
Only about 10 percent of households have connected home solutions, the survey found. The survey considered “connected home solutions” to be devices and services that are connected to one another and to the Internet that can automatically respond to preset rules, be remotely accessed and managed by mobile apps or a browser, and send alerts or messages to users.
"Although households in the developed world are beginning to embrace connected home solutions, providers must push beyond early adopter use," says Amanda Sabia, principal research analyst at Gartner. "If they are to successfully widen the appeal of the connected home, providers will need to identify what will really motivate current users to inspire additional purchases.”
By far the most popular devices are home security alarm systems, which have nearly double the adoption rates (18 percent) of newer connected home solutions, like home monitoring (11 percent), home automation or energy management (9 percent), and health and wellness management (11 percent). Researchers found that adoption rates were 5 to 6 percent higher in the U.S., where smart home devices were mostly first marketed.
"Messaging needs to be focused on the real value proposition that the complete connected home ecosystem provides, encompassing devices, service, and experience," says Jessica Ekholm, research director at Gartner. "The emphasis needs to be on how the connected home can helps solve daily tasks rather than just being a novelty collection of devices and apps.”
Source: Gartner Inc.
