Friday, April 17, 2015
Though consumers expect smart homes to “arrive” well before smart cars or wearable tech, their enthusiasm is tempered by some confusion around the smart home concept, according to research firm iModerate. This stems from concerns over price, ease of use and physical and data security.Participants in a recent iModerate study said they think a smart home would be most beneficial when they’re away from home. Specifically, they said a smart home would alleviate worries of leaving an appliance on, help lower energy bills and reduce burglary concerns.
However, consumers see the smart home as something of a double-edged sword: they believe it will offer peace of mind to them and their families, but they are wary of the security and privacy issues a smart home could expose. They like the idea of being able to peek in to their homes, to remotely control home functions, and to receive alerts if there is an attempted intrusion or mechanical problem that occurs while they’re away.
Conversely, consumers are fearful that security measures could backfire, data collected by smart home systems could be exploited, and smart locks could be easily hacked.
“We found our conversations with consumers fascinating in terms of how eager people are to embrace the smart home,” says Adam Rossow, partner, iModerate. “They perceive the technology would generally better the home experience. Only 7 percent indicated concern that it would make their homes feel cold and uninviting, whereas the majority envisioned smart home technology as a silent task-master, freeing up time they’d typically spend on household chores and, in turn, allowing them more time with their families.”
Source: iModerate
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