Resulting in Continued Evolution in Consumer Technology Ecosystems
Port Washington, NY, June 28, 2022 – In the last two years, adoption of connected devices in the U.S. saw steady growth with ownership of smart speakers up nearly 40% and home automation products more than doubling, according to The NPD Group. As a result, having an integrated ecosystem to seamlessly leverage this connected network is essential. Findings from NPD’s latest Evolving Ecosystem Report indicate smart speakers are securing their footing at the center of this ecosystem, as owners of these devices over index in ownership of other connected technology categories and digital voice assistant usage.
The report, which examines changing mobile, TV streaming, and smart speaker technologies through a lens of interconnectivity, reveals smart speaker owners are 35% more likely than the total market to own home automation devices, 26% more likely to own a streaming media player, and 21% more likely to own a connected smart TV. Smart speaker owners also use device voice commands at a higher rate than other device owners – with 91% of smart speaker owners noting they use the device’s voice commands, while only 72% of smartphone owners use voice control capabilities. This underlines the emergence of other smart devices, not just smartphones, as more ubiquitous and useful within the home ecosystem.
“While two years ago the goal of ecosystem brands was to convert consumers who hadn’t yet adopted the technology, that has shifted to growing the existing base, which can be done by focusing on synergy among brands rather than strictly competing,” said Eddie Hold, president of the Connected Intelligence practice at NPD. “As we look to newer categories like smart appliances, it will continue to become more important and mutually beneficial for brands to make products versatile enough to be embraced by owners of different ecosystems rather than trying to have a product in every category.”
NPD’s newly released Evolving Ecosystem report examines device and service trends and ownership levels to understand the evolution of – and competition for – the coveted position of hub of the ecosystem. Data for the report was collected between February and March 2022. Beyond the adoption of devices and the preference for varying brands’ ecosystems, the report also examines the demographics of those using these technologies.
About Connected Intelligence
Connected Intelligence provides competitive intelligence and insight on the rapidly evolving consumer’s connected environment. The service focuses on the three core components of the connected market: the device, the broadband access that provides the connectivity and the content that drives consumer behavior. These three pillars of the connected ecosystem are analyzed through a comprehensive review of what is available, adopted, and consumed by the customer, as well as reviewing how the market will evolve over time and what the various vendors can do to best position themselves in this evolving market. For more information: http://www.connected-intelligence.com.
About The NPD Group
NPD is a global market information company offering data, industry expertise, and prescriptive analytics to help our clients understand today’s retail landscape and prepare for the future. Over 2,000 companies worldwide rely on us to help them measure, predict, and improve performance across all channels, including brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and B2B. We have services in 21 countries worldwide, with operations spanning the Americas, Europe, and APAC. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, books, B2B technology, consumer technology, e-commerce, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, home improvement, juvenile products, media entertainment, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, toys, and video games. For more information, visit npd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup.