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In 2019, 68% of Italian consumers proved to be familiar with the expression “smart home” (+ 9% compared to 2018). The share of people who own smart objects in their homes is in line with 2018 data (ca. 40%), even if the number of owned devices has increased, with windows and doors detectors (16%), cameras (15%) and speakers and stereo speakers (14%) at the top of the ranking.
This growing attitude to smart tools comes with fears about the risks connected to the regulation of privacy, so much so that 54% of the citizens are reluctant to share their personal data.
These findings come from the latest BVA Doxa research for the Internet of Things Observatory of the Politecnico School of Management in Milan, presented on 18 February at the conference “Smart Home: where there is IoT, there is home”.
One might wonder about the relationship between Smart Homes and the Italian market. The answers can be found in the latest BVA Doxa research for the Internet of Things Observatory of the Politecnico School of Management in Milan, which sheds some light on the relationship between technology and everyday life. The survey, coordinated by the team of CasaDoxa National Observatory – Paola Caniglia, Head of BU Retail and Andrea Tozzi, Senior Research Manager – showed that in 2019 68% of Italian consumers heard the term “smart home” at least once, 9% more compared to 2018: the figure rises to 77% when considering under 35s.
The data point to interesting findings when considering the whole economical results of a sector that keeps growing: according to the data published by the Internet of Things Observatory, the Smart Home market in Italy reached a value of 530 million euros in 2019, which marks a 40% increase compared to the previous year and places Italy fourth in the European ranking, right after Germany and United Kingdom (2,5 billion each, +38% and +47% in 2018) and France (1,1 billions, +37%).
SMART DEVICES: EXPLORING ITALIANS’ HOMES – When comparing data from 2018, the spread of technological devices remains the same in 2019 (ca. 40%). However the number of owned devices has increased: at the top of the ranking we find windows and doors detectors (found in 16% of the sampled homes), cameras (15%) and speakers and stereo speakers (14%). Video intercoms and locks follow (12%), as well as heating solutions (9%), voice assistants (8%), light bulbs (8%), large home appliances (7%) and boilers (6%). Besides an increase in people who can use smart features (65%, +7% compared to 2018), 10% more of consumers (compared to 2018) claims to be able to install the devices independently, without any professional help (64%).
WHAT IS SLOWING THE GROW DOWN? – If on the one hand, the market is growing, on the other hand, there is still someone who feels skeptical about the use of smart devices at home. For 18% of Italians, smart devices are too complex, while 10% say they do not benefit from their possible use. In 6% of the cases, the apps available to handle the devices are considered too complex; only 37% of the consumers claim to be interested in buying products for the Smart Home in the future, with only 11% of them planning to do so in 2020, and 26% in the next three years.
The research focused on the expectations of Italian consumers as well, revealing that the most desired features and devices are heating solutions (23%),
As for the expectations of Italian consumers, the most desired features and devices are heating solutions (23%), large home appliances (21%), light bulbs (15%), cameras (15%) and boilers (12%).
This technological optimism is affected by citizens’ fears about the risks related to cybersecurity and privacy violation: 54% of Italians are reluctant to share their personal data (+ 3% compared to 2018).
