The cost of living crisis is making consumers warm up to smart tech. New research from Samsung SmartThings has found that given the way the past 12 months has panned out, a third of home owners (33%) are more positive about having solar panels installed. Similarly, over one in four (28%) said they are keen on the concept of installing battery storage (BESS) – devices that enable energy from renewables like solar and wind to be stored and then released when the power is needed – and one in five (19%) are more likely to consider replacing their boiler for a heat pump.
And it seems to be men who are more enthusiastic about installing environmental smart tech in their homes, with one in three men (32%) wanting solar panels, compared to 23% of women. One in five (20%) men are more inclined to replace their boiler for a heat pump, compared to 12% of women and 28% of men are more likely to have BESS compared to 18% of women.
It’s the younger generations leading the way when it comes to installing environmental smart tech, with over half (54%) of 18-to-24-year-olds more open to installing solar panels, compared with 21% of the 55- to 64-year-olds, and 12% of 65 and overs.
Smart tech is also improving the way we eat and live, encouraging us, as a nation, to be more experimental and self-aware of our health and fitness. A third (33%) say their home cooking habits have changed over the past 12 to 18 months, largely thanks to innovations in technology. For example, a third (32%) say they use new kitchen appliances to cook, while one in five (20%) rely on apps to find recipes - and 20% find cooking at home much easier with today’s technology at hand.
Health tech devices such as smart watches and FitBits are also improving the way with live, with a quarter (25%) of Brits starting to use them over the past two years, with the 18- to 24-year-olds leading the way (59%), followed by the 25- to 34-year-olds (39%) and a third of 35- to 44-year-olds (31%). The main reasons are to count their steps (53%), to measure workouts (42%) and to track weight, heart rate or their BMI (39%).
However, there is still a long way to go to warm everyone up to the smart tech age – with 40% of people believing that smart tech costs a lot of money and a quarter (28%) saying that you need to be tech savvy to set it all up.
But, when asked if they would maybe consider upgrading tech in their home in order for it to work smarter across multiple devices – a whopping 66% said yes. And, the main reason that people would invest in smart tech is to gain more control (54%).
Samsung SmartThings has created a trends report entitled Untapped: The Home Tech Evolution which looks at future trends that are likely to engulf our homes. This includes augmented reality that will transform culinary experiences in the kitchen, a mirror that can detect emotions and suggest workouts based on a person’s mental state – and electric cars that can be used to power-up homes.
Vicki Loomes, Head of Trends at TrendWatching who conducted the consumer behavioural trends research alongside Samsung says: “The smart home is rapidly evolving, and consumers are looking for their home to serve them in new ways. That includes helping them reduce their footprint and their bills with smart energy-saving devices. At the same time, concerns about the future mean that many are looking to create more relaxed living spaces that can actively improve their health and wellbeing.”
To view a full copy of Samsung’s new trends report entitled Untapped: The Home Tech Evolution, click here.