Coronavirus Could Increase Smart Home Voice Control Growth by 30%, Research Says
Voice control can be leveraged to operate smart home devices, resulting in hands-free functionality during a time when personal hygiene is at the forefront.
OYSTER BAY, N.Y. — The global emphasis on working from home combined with advice to minimize coronavirus will help cement the benefits of smart home voice control for millions of consumers, according to tech research firm ABI Research.
Last year, 141 million voice control smart home device shipped worldwide and, despite the key China market being impacted during the first quarter of 2020, the value of voice control during the pandemic will ensure that this year, voice control device shipments will grow globally by close to 30% over 2019.
“A smarter home can be a safer home,” says Jonathan Collins, research director at ABI Research. Key among the recommendations regarding coronavirus protection in the home is to clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces daily in household common areas.
“Voice has already made significant inroads into the smart home space and voice control can mean avoiding commonly touched surfaces around the home from smartphones, to TV remotes, light switches, thermostats, door handles and more. Voice can also be leveraged for online shopping and information gathering,” says Collins.
But it is in conjunction with other smart home devices that voice brings greater benefits. Voice can be leveraged to control and monitor smart locks to enable deliveries to be placed in the home or another secure location directly, or monitored securely on the doorstep until the resident can bring them in.
Similarly, smart doorbells/video cameras can also ensure deliveries are received securely without the need for face-to-face interaction or exposure. “Such delivery capabilities are especially valuable for those already in-home quarantine or for those receiving home testing kits,” explains Collins.
“In the long term, voice control will continue be the Trojan horse of smart home adoption. COVID-19 is part of the additional motivation and incentive for voice control in the home that will help drive awareness and adoption for a range of additional smart home devices and applications.”
This article first appeared on SSI sister publication CE Pro.
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Our customer base, now more than ever, has requested upgrading video doorbells and creating voice control cultures in the home. In my house, I use Alexa on the Echo Show 2, and in the car Siri or Google. So from personal experience, I can see the critical use of it not only at home but in businesses too. Currently, I am training Alexa and Google to act as a secretary for me. I can make hands free calls, video chat, send and receive documents, and a multitude of other tasks. It is a new age, and we’re going to see much more use of voice assistants accompanied by AI.