Smart Home Tracker finds 40% of US broadband households report using video conferencing services, a 54% increase since the COVID-19 crisis started

New Parks Associates smart home research finds providers and manufacturers are increasingly competing on price, innovation, and privacy protections. The firm’s Smart Home Tracker notes 44% of US broadband households who do not own or intend to purchase a smart home device perceive the devices as too expensive, so as more manufacturers, such as Blink, Eufy, and Honor, deploy low-cost products with advanced features, the market could start to overcome this barrier.

“The perception of high prices continues to be the leading inhibitor for smart home device purchases,” said Elizabeth Parks, President, Parks Associates. “Previously, companies would introduce an advanced model of their product to Innovators and Early Adopters, and then maybe come down-market with a simpler, low-priced model, but as more product manufacturers enter the space, increased competition is driving industry players to integrate high-end features into their most affordable models. Consumers will start to see more value per dollar spent.”

The Smart Home Tracker also reveals privacy concerns are increasing among consumers—35% of US broadband households who do not own or intend to purchase a smart home device report security and privacy concerns as a reason not to purchase these devices, up from 25% in 2018. In response, Logitech, Eve, and ecobee have all recently launched smart indoor cameras promoting various privacy features that give owners more options to disable or adjust their cameras when privacy is desired.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting social-distancing guidelines are forcing companies to find new and unique ways to promote these privacy features and deliver support to consumers. Verizon and Cox have begun leveraging interactive video and other technologies such as augmented reality to guide customers through setup and troubleshooting. With the COVID-19 crisis continuing, companies are also exploring ways to improve performance of the home network.

“Google has updated its Nest Wi-Fi router in order to help slow home networks support multiple video calls and games simultaneously,” said Patrice Samuels, Senior Analyst, Parks Associates. “This move by Google will drive better user experiences. It is also very timely as 40% of US broadband households now report using virtual meetings or video conferencing services, while only 26% reported using these services prior to the COVID-19 crisis.”

The Smart Home Tracker also tracks several major market moves from solution providers in the multifamily space, with Allegion and SmartRent both launching smart access solutions aimed to help property managers improve security and operating efficiencies at MDU properties.

For information about the Smart Home Tracker, contact [email protected]. To schedule an interview with an analyst or to request specific research data, please contact Rosey Ulpino, [email protected], 972-490-1113.

About Parks Associates: Parks Associates, a woman-founded and certified business, is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates provides business intelligence and research services through its proprietary methodologies developed over decades, including quarterly surveys of 10,000 internet households.

The company's expertise crosses many industries: home security and smart home, streaming video, broadband and pay-TV services, digital media and platforms, gaming, Wi-Fi and home networks, connected health, support, consumer electronics, home control systems, energy management, and tech solutions for the multi-dwelling (MDU), small-to-medium business (SMB), and commercial building markets.

Each year, Parks Associates brings thousands of leaders together for its webinars and annual events. The firm hosts the annual executive research and strategy conferences CONNECTIONS™, Connected Health Summit, Smart Energy Summit, Smart Spaces, and Future of Video. https://www.parksassociates.com
 

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