As we were growing up, the technology depicted in science fiction movies and TV shows, such as “The Jetsons” and “Star Trek,” appeared far-fetched. Now, these futuristic visions have come true, with the presence of robotic shopping assistants, hands-free appliances, and video-calling capabilities. Now, recent findings from Hub Entertainment Research indicate just how deeply these smart home technologies have become integrated with our lifestyles.
Results of the survey showed that 75% of U.S. homes now own a smart TV and 60% use it to stream at least once a week. They also discovered that the concept of “primetime” TV was starting to become irrelevant since the ability to stream at any time on a variety of different devices means that viewers are able to watch wherever and whenever they wanted to.
As more smart TVs enter the market, the battle for OS supremacy takes center stage. In the case of industry-leading Roku, Q4 2022 marked an 18% drop in device sales revenue from the year prior. Roku has always lost money on its devices. The service makes its money with advertising once the device is in the home. The question for consumers is whether it’s worth buying a new device or sticking with the built-in OS of whatever smart TV they purchase. As dongle sales slow, expect to see even more discounts on TV sets as companies scramble to get the privilege of your data.
Hub was curious to know if consumers wanted to keep pace with the fast influx of new technology innovations. The report demonstrated that items such as smart speakers may have peaked with little difference in the number of households that owned one since the last study in 2019. However, the study also said the number of people who owned voice-controlled remote controls had increased, but only 40% of users actually used the remote’s voice-control function.
One of the biggest household acquisitions was the move to virtual reality with 12.5% now owning a VR device. Despite the virtual reality universe wanting to “gain traction outside gaming,” 80% of people said that was their primary use of the product. While these traditionally required another device in order to use them, services such as PlutoSphere and Shadow are evolving so that you won’t need those any longer.
It appears that smart household technologies are here to stay. Homeowners have embraced these technologies due to the convenience and time savings they provide, and the level of convenience they can bring to the home. With more and more advancements coming down the line, there’s no doubt that we will continue to see an increase in the number of households using innovative smart home tech.