Italian houses increasingly smart, Altroconsumo survey

The virtual world has now become an integral part of our daily life, so much so that Italian homes are adapting to the new reality of the Internet of things. This market is constantly expanding and its absolute value in Italy currently amounts to 650 million euros. But what are the objects that drive smart home sales in Italy? Altroconsumo, in order to detect how many consumers use smart objects, conducted a survey involving 1,817 citizens who were asked if they had at least one object with intelligent functionality in their home (excluding smartphones and tablets). SMART TV IS PRESENT IN 72% OF HOUSES From the data of the Internet of Things Observatory of the Politecnico di Milano it emerges that 46% of Italians have at least one “smart” device, ie connected to the network. The smart TV is the most present object in the homes of our country (72%), followed by voice assistants (Alexa, Google Home, Siri) able to control household items via the wi-fi network with 29%, printers and smart bulbs (23% and 20% respectively). Next, the connected appliances including, washing machine (17%), refrigerator (13%) and dishwasher (10%). INTELLIGENT FUNCTIONS: MORE THAN HALF OF RESPONDENTS CHOOSE NEW PRODUCTS OWN BECAUSE SMART 6 out of 10 respondents do not find smart functions very useful for household appliances. 72% of the respondents, on the other hand, found the intelligent function very useful to control especially the rooms inside the home via the security cameras. In addition to the cameras, the intelligent functions are particularly appreciated for voice assistants, light bulbs and smart thermostats, in order to remotely manage lighting and heating. ” use of smart devices, in fact 1/3 of consumers interviewed by Altroconsumo declares to have had at least one problem with smart devices, in particular with objects such as TVs, printers and dryers. The main difficulties encountered are those related to device control via the app (43% of those who had problems), the wi-fi connection (36%), followed by those with the app or software (32%) and the application failure after an update (30%). It is possible that the disruptions are caused by the fact that it is necessary to download different applications to control multiple objects, this is because each brand has its own closed operating systems and protocols. This makes it impossible to interact between the various devices, especially when it comes to household appliances. A possible solution adopted by the big players in the sector such as Samsung, Amazion, Google and Apple plans to create a single consortium in the future, Matter, in order to produce certified smart devices compatible with each other. MORE ENERGY SAVING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE PURCHASE OF A SMART ITEM Buying a smart device allows consumers to save on bills. For example, the smart thermostat optimizes the use of the heating system and helps to reduce waste by programming its operation and monitoring its consumption. Some models identify usage habits independently based on the needs of respondents. Smart light bulbs also fall into this category, which can be activated via motion sensors connected to the network. 69% OF CONSUMERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR DATA 69% of respondents say they are afraid that their sensitive data may fall into the hands of companies private (while for the state ones the percentage drops to 53%) without their authorization. This is a risk linked to the immense circulation of data that occurs due to the activation of each device through the respective apps. In order to prevent any damage, manufacturers must ensure IT security and protect the privacy of their consumers; the latter should adopt some precautions to defend themselves in a conscious way from possible intrusions. For example, it is recommended to use more complex passwords, a two-factor recognition through a self-generated code and to turn off the devices when they are not used in such a way as to interrupt the flow of data.