According to ABI Research, the global emphasis on working from home combined with advice to minimise coronavirus transmission from shared surfaces within the home will cement the benefits of smart home voice control for "millions" of customers.
Global shipments of smart home voice control devices total 141 million in 2019, and despite the impact on the key Chinese market in Q1 2020 the analyst predicts shipments of such devices will grow by close to 30% over last year. Of course, the full potential of voice control is unlocked in conjunction with other smart home devices. For example, customers can leverage voice to control and monitor smart locks, directly enabling the placement of deliveries in the home or another secure locations. Similarly, smart doorbells and video cameras can ensure deliveries are received securely, without need for face-to-face interaction or exposure.
“In the long term, voice control will continue be the Trojan horse of smart home adoption," ABI Research says. "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."
Ultimately, the pandemic will bring new routines to millions of people. As such, smart home vendors and system providers can emphasise the role of voice and other smart home implementations to improve on such routines in the home, with the ability to minimise contact with shared surfaces and securing and automating home deliveries. In addition, smart home and remote health monitoring can be integrated with features such as personal health data collection, as well as help in wider response and engagement for smart city health management.
