A new report by Smart Home Week has revealed insights into UK consumers’ appetite for smart tech devices aimed at making everyday tasks around the home easier and quicker.
In addition to smart speakers such as Alexa, video doorbells/security systems is the smart tech that most appeals – with 47% planning to buy one within the next two years. This is closely followed by smart lights that allow users to adjust brightness and colour, as well as schedule the lights turning off and on.
Smart tech within major appliances has seen a slower take-up – just 19% are interesting in buying a smart washing machine or refrigerator, and only 17% in a smart oven.
In the home the lounge is seen as the most ideal location for smart tech (72%) followed by the kitchen (53%) and then bedrooms (34%). And when purchasing tech, 41% of consumers stated they preferred to do so direct from a manufacturer.
As people become more comfortable with tech, the adoption rate is expected to accelerate over the next five years. Even so, an estimated £10.8 billion is estimated to be spent on smart tech by end of 2019.