What smart home tech do Brits expect to own in five years?

The rise and development of smart home technology has been nothing short of extraordinary. In fact, 57% of Brits now have at least one smart product in their home environment, per recent statistics from Smart Home Week. When it comes to consumer demand, an astonishing £10.8bn is set to be spent on smart home devices/appliances by the end of this year (2019), according to projections by auditing giants PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).

Interested in connected living, property specialists Fast Sale Homes analysed the latest findings from accounting firm Ernst & Young, who surveyed 2,500 UK households to identify which smart home devices/appliances they plan to definitely own in five years’ time. 

Fast Sale Homes found that a digital home assistant (such as Google Home or the Amazon Echo) is the smart home product that Brits (41%) most expect to own in five years’ time. Equally, 41% predict they will have a device which enables smart heating functions (e.g. Nest Learning Thermostat, Hive Heating Control) within their property in five years. 

Interestingly, 36% of Brits want to install smart lights in five years - allowing them to adjust the brightness/colour of lighting fixtures/bulbs as well as schedule them to turn on/off when needed, over an app rather than doing it through a physical switch. 

Likewise, 36% are aiming to fit a video doorbell in five years’ time, allowing them to check who is at their front door before opening it, for peace of mind and safety. 

Given the exponential growth of immersive technology, 24% anticipate owning a virtual-reality (VR) headset in five years. 

Contrastingly, a smart oven is the product Brits least desire to buy in the future, with only 17% wanting the appliance in five years. Slightly above, 19% would respectively like a smart fridge and/or smart washer in their kitchen five years from now. 

Furthermore, Fast Sale Homes from the report, also sought to determine the suppliers Brits would ideally prefer to purchase smart home products from. 

Fast Sale Homes discovered Brits are most open to buying smart home products from a broadband provider (37%). Thereafter, 17% would use a reputable technology website to acquire the smart home devices/appliances they want. 

Despite offering vast expertise and handy advice, just 15% of Brits are keen on a specialist smart home tech provider as a potential purchasing channel. Considering that a range of smart home devices/appliances are typically operated/accessed via a smartphone – a mere six percent have confidence in smartphone manufacturers as a legitimate shopping option for getting smart home technology. 

Opposingly, Brits are not that enthusiastic about purchasing smart home products directly from social media companies as well as mobile phone operators, with only two percent wanting to do so from either prospective avenue. 

Richard, the Managing Director of Fast Sale Homes commented: “The evolution of smart home technology over the last decade has been fantastic. There are now a ton of smart devices/appliances on the market, which primarily aim to make everyday tasks at home easier and quicker. As Brits continue to better understand the products and become more comfortable using them, the adoption rate of the technology will only increase. 

“This research certainly shows that Brits have a firm idea of the smart home devices/appliances they aspire to own in five years’ time. Similarly, providing a clear indication of the suppliers they would opt to use when committing to a purchase decision.”