While the use of smart home devices and appliances is mostly among early adopters, many markets will inch closer to the early majority in the next few years. The integration of new technologies in consumers’ lives is forcing service providers and manufacturers to rethink technology solutions to meet the changing needs of the post-pandemic world. Convenience, comfort, and peace of mind remain the leading drivers of smart home device adoption. But, other factors influencing growth include an increase in product familiarity; co-marketing partnerships with brands in other industries such as energy providers, builders, and insurance companies; and an increase in the production of DIY smart home device models.

Not only do more consumers own smart home devices, but also smart home device owners are buying more devices. Currently, 37% of internet households have a smart home device and have an average of 16 connected devices total, with the majority coming from the CE category. Our latest landmark research shows that smart home buyers report 36% of recent device purchases were through a retailer, either an online or brick-and-mortar company, while 11% of units purchased were through an internet service provider, 7% through a utility/electricity provider, and 6% through an insurance provider.

New Smart Products Entering the Home
As consumers grow increasingly aware of the smart devices already on the market, new categories of smart products are emerging, offering added benefits that address different pain points. New categories include solutions that monitor indoor air quality and facilitate independent living, safe package delivery, and energy resilience in the home.

Indoor air quality products

New indoor air quality monitoring devices include smart air quality monitors, air purifiers, and fresh air ventilation systems. These products can identify volatile compounds and other air quality issues that spur respiratory illnesses and automate actions, such as activating air purifier or humidifiers to improve air quality. According to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), air quality is now a consideration in household cleaning. Forty-six percent of US consumers who now clean and tidy their homes more since COVID-19 take measures, such as purchasing air purifiers, to improve their indoor air quality.

Smart products/systems for independent living

The US Census Bureau estimates that ~20% of the population will be age 65 or above by the year 2030. Nearly 90% of consumers aged 65 or above consider it very important to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible. US residents who are 65 years and older are most interested in independent living solutions that provide home safety and security, along with solutions that automatically alert first responders, if they are experiencing a security breach or exposed to a safety hazard.

Package safety solutions

According to the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1.7 million packages are lost or stolen every day in the US. Research conducted for The New York Times finds 90,000 packages are lost or stolen per day in New York alone, a 20% increase from 2015.1 Package safety solutions allow retailers and package couriers to deliver purchased goods to consumers securely and combat an increase in package theft. Solutions include services like Amazon Key that monitor indoor package deliveries, video doorbells that can alert users when packages are delivered or removed, and smart storage containers that can be accessed only by delivery personnel and the package owner.

Energy resilience solutions

Energy resilience solutions include batteries that store excess power. Nine percent of US broadband households report having battery storage for excess power, and new concerns about energy resilience may drive further adoption. The rolling blackouts in California that affected many consumers and businesses, and the Texas blackouts in February 2021 that led to the loss of lives, have put energy resilience solutions top-of-mind for many more consumers.
The market is ripe with the opportunity to continue providing value to consumers through the integration of devices, advancements in technology, and new partnerships. Parks Associates' 26th annual CONNECTIONS™: The Premier Connected Home Conference features an in-person conference this week at the Omni Frisco in Dallas, and featuring multiple virtual sessions hosted throughout 2022. The event focuses on the adoption of technology including smart home, security, connected health, energy, and home automation.

Bringing together more than 1,500 senior executives, CONNECTIONS™ provides networking opportunities combined with visionary keynotes and virtual sessions. The Parks Associates analyst team leads all conference sessions, which are focused on technology innovations, consumer adoption and trends, product and service forecasts, and the evaluation of new business strategies, partnerships, monetization opportunities, and value-added service design.

Thank you to our event sponsors: Alarm.com, Calix, Cox Communities, F-Secure, Homebase, Plume, Airties, Bitdefender, Johnson Controls, Nice, Notion, Rapid Response Monitoring, Resideo, Schneider Electric, STRATIS®, AmTrust Specialty Risk, Gadgeon, Ivani, Midea, Cooktop Safety, Iris® Powered by Generali, and Assurant.

We love feedback about our research! Please reach out to Parks Associates team or to me if you are interested in talking about the future of the smart home.

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