Tips From The Top

Of all the connected smart technology available today, what do consumers around the world value most? Security? Lighting? A connected kitchen?

Nope.

The two most valued products come under the categories of entertainment and vehicles.

We’re not surprised – those are two categories our clients value most, too.

This is according to a report from Capgemini Research Institute released late last year.

The survey included more than 10,000 adult consumers around the world. They left smart phones and tablets out of the questions and focused on connected items that are worn or used in a home, business, or vehicle.

Seventy percent of those surveyed reported that they were most satisfied with connected vehicles. Connected entertainment was a close second with 69%. Products in the health wearables category came up third at 63%.

It’s also really interesting to note why connected devices were important to people. Two-thirds of those surveyed said that connected products are essential. A third of them relied on some kind of connected product 24-hours a day. And nearly two thirds said that connected products – like smart security systems – made them feel safer.

Connected devices for home entertainment– like smart TVs and gaming systems – were owned by four in five consumers surveyed. These connected entertainment products were the most popularly owned in all the countries represented, as high as 94% in Japan to 77% in Norway and the U.K. The majority of people owned connected speakers, especially among Gen Zs and Millennials.

And while connected vehicles topped the list, the survey found a wide discrepancy in ownership among countries. Americans owned connected vehicles at the highest rate – 77% – with their Canadian neighbors coming in at the lowest rate of 38%.

The biggest concerns, according to the report? The privacy and protection of personal data as it relates to smart home technology. Only about a third of the respondents were satisfied with the privacy offered by connected products. These concerns are valid, and exactly why we do what we do as smart home integrators. We choose companies that prioritize and ensure the protection personal data – like josh.ai.

Integration was also a big concern among those surveyed. In other words, how connected devices actually operate together effectively. One in two consumers were frustrated with the number of connected devices or services they had to deal with, while two in three believed it would be more convenient to have just one single interface for all connected products. A product can be connected, but if it’s not properly integrated with other products, or if the app is overly complicated, it creates more headaches than ease and comfort.

We see this among many of our clients, too, who often seek us out because technology has overly complicated their lives in the past.

We bring many years of integration expertise and make sure the platforms we use, like Savant, work effectively and intuitively for our clients, so that smart home technology in any category – from entertainment to lighting to climate – does what it is supposed to do in an efficient, streamlined way. Technology is supposed to improve the quality of our clients’ lives, not become a burden, and we make sure everything we do gives our clients the best experience with all the connected technology in their homes and businesses.

To learn more about how integrated technology can improve your home, call us at Jackson Hole AV. We’d love to discuss the possibilities.