What is the One Smart Home Technology You Can’t Live Without?

If someone were to ask you to give up a technology for one day, which would you have the hardest time parting with? Your smartphone? Computer? Maybe the garage door opener? According to a data revealed by the Customer and Product Experience 260 Survey by iQor, the WiFi router ranks as the number one technology U.S. adults can’t live without.

Our dependency on a WiFi router shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s become the lifeblood of the smart home, connecting devices, enabling remote access to smart products, and feeding content from the Internet to TVs, music systems and more. It’s what makes every product, service, and application tick in the global Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem. Given that nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of U.S. adults noted WiFi routers as their most beloved home tech, it’s apparent that consumers understand the importance of connected smart home technology to a modern lifestyle.

Smart Home Fear Factor

At the same time, consumers are concerned about the security of these devices. More than two-thirds (70 percent) of consumers are apprehensive about the lack of security from hackers who can breach their Internet-connected smart home devices, according to the survey. Moreover, the survey shows that more than half of U.S. adults (58 percent) fear lack of privacy from device manufacturers who have access to data, real-time conversations, voice patterns and search history.

Another fear noted by consumers of the survey is the “cascade effect” of a smart home ecosystem. Fifty-four percent fear that if one device  fails it will cause other connected devices in the home to fail.

Set Up Issues Ensue

In addition to the potential security risks of incorporating IoT devices into a home, consumers also struggle with setup and configuration of these devices. Survey respondents reported that in the past two years, 63 percent had set up issues and 48 percent had operation issues. Connecting the device to interact with other devices was difficult for nearly one third of consumers (31 percent).

Are We Too Dependent on Technology?

The increased value of the WiFi router speaks to the growing adoption of the smart home lifestyle and the desire for the convenience that the connected ecosystem provides, but consumers have reservations about IoT creating an unhealthy dependence on technology. More than half of U.S. adults (53 percent) are concerned that IoT and smart devices will lead to a heightened dependence on technology to conduct daily tasks.

The CPX 360 survey reports that more than 90 percent of consumer households today have a smartphone and that new connected technology is rapidly being adopted. Almost half of consumer households (42 percent) have a smart TV, nearly one in four have a health wearable device, like a Fitbit, and 16 percent have a voice controlled virtual assistant, like Alexa or Google home.

Where do you stand on these issues of privacy, security, and complicated setup? What is your must-have home technology device?

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