Over Half of Smartphone Owners Have Tried Smart Home Devices

IoT_Research-Findings.jpg51 per cent of smartphone owners have already interacted with a home Internet of Things device, according to a new Adobe report on digital trends, and the majority of consumers are excited about the prospect of IoT.

The report analysed over 20m social media engagements as part of its research, and found that 75 per cent of posts discussing IoT devices were related to joy, admiration and anticipation, suggesting that overall the public is extremely excited about the prospect of engaging with smart home technology.

The research also revealed that 33 per cent of smartphone owners have made use of a digital assistant in the past month, with Apples Siri taking the lead in terms of popularity. The upcoming launch of Facebook M may prove a game-changer here however, with 20 per cent of social media mentions showing anticipation for the social networks digital assistant.

“What separates Facebook M is the ability to go beyond your query,” said Joe Martin, senior analyst at Adobe Digital Index. “Its kind of going the next step with purchasing gifts, making travel reservations and dinner reservations for you, rather than just finding the information you need.”Wearables, the other big buzz in hardware, were also highly anticipated, and while ownership of fitness trackers currently outpaces smartwatches (25 per cent compared to 18 per cent), Adobes analysts expect that smartwatches will overtake as people seek out multi-function wearables, much like the iPhone surpassed the iPod.