Home Security will be key for the new Smart Home revolution
Home security is a top priority for homeowners investing in Smart Home technology, a new census reveals. The research, provided by OnePoll and commissioned by online electrical retailer AO.com shows that if money was no object, UK residents would invest in a smart security system for their home (37%). This beats products such as virtual digital assistants, which only 1 in 8 of the population would buy (12%), robot lawnmowers (18%) and remote controlled heating for the whole house (29%). Of the 2,000 respondents, 68% see positive factors in owning smart technology such as ‘convenience’ and ‘saving time’. 18-24 year olds believe that this form of technology could benefit the elderly, whilst 25-34 and 45-54 year olds think that a Smart Home would help save money in the long run.
Smart Homes start in the living room
39% of respondents said they currently own a smart TV and a further 15% say they will buy one in the next 12 months, with 75% believing they will have a smart TV in the future. 38% of 18-24 years olds that don’t own a smart TV said they don’t feel the need to buy one, as they already own a plug in or accessory to make a standard TV smart. Our viewing habits are also changing, as 32% of the nation don’t frequently consume live TV and instead opt for on demand services, subscriptions or streaming, which increases the demand for smart TVs or accessories. 5% of the population now watch TV while commuting, with this figure rising to 11% in London.
Top smart products the UK plans to buy in the next 12 months
The most desired Smart Home products, (listed below) shows that whilst we’re not quite ready for advanced Smart Home technology such as robot vacuum cleaners and lawnmowers, we are happy to embrace smart products such as laptops, tablets and smart TVs.
- Laptop (17%)
- Tablet (17%)
- Smart TV/4K/OLED (15%)
- Smart TV accessory (11%)
- Turn on heating remotely (9%)
- Virtual digital assistant (5%)
We love being connected
Over 1 in 3 people aged below 35 could not cope without access to their phone, laptop or tablet for more than 3 hours, with the majority of this age group not being able to last 8 hours. 29% of 18 to 24 year olds would rather leave the house with their mobile phone than their spouse, children or money. Commenting on the census results, Andrew Kirkcaldy, Group Brand Director at AO.com said: “The research suggests that the Smart Home revolution has already started with Smart TV’s and audio, and we haven’t even noticed it. For many homes, smart home security and heating will take this technology out of the living room, leading to a Smart Home that will help save us money and time, while making our lives easier”
Read the full AO Smart Living Census Report here:
