Automating and connecting our home devices – smartphones, smart refrigerators, automated doorbells, and home integration systems like Amazon Alexa – proliferated in 2022. Do all of these interconnected devices make consumers smarter?
For starters, set-up time can be substantial depending on the device and the network. And consumers can expect to spend time programming to use all the high-tech features available.
Interoperability is an important feature that consumers must remember when purchasing smart appliances. One important consideration is ensuring that a home’s existing WiFi and other connected devices, such as smartphones, can control the newest purchases.
Once established, consumers will rarely disconnect or change smart systems due to compatibility issues. Instead, people tend to continue adding more devices to an existing network.
According to a study by CEDIA, app-based home automation is growing and is expected to rise 21% between 2020 and 2025. Pandemic-fueled appliance and electronics purchases increased dramatically in the last 12 months. And the sale of connected home devices also rose sharply.
The number of consumers with at least one smart home device has doubled since 2015. (34% vs. just 17% five years ago).
The reasons for purchasing smart devices include convenience, customization, and energy efficiency. Consumers should focus on the features they are most interested in to make intelligent purchase decisions for smart appliances.
The cost of smart devices is typically 30-50% higher than conventional appliances without connectivity to a home’s WiFi. But do these devices last longer or require fewer repairs? According to the National Association of Home Builders, today’s high-tech and energy-efficient appliances don’t last as long.
With more moving parts, touchscreen interfaces, and electronic controls than older appliances, smart refrigerators, dishwashers, and washers and dryers may need more repairs in the first three years of ownership.
Centricity has extended service contract options to protect all of those smart devices. For manufacturers and retailers offering their customers the advantages of smart appliances, offer Centricity extended service contracts to build brand affinity even if something goes wrong!
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