Smart home devices are starting to replace some of the
things consumers have been doing with their smartphones while at home.
As might be expected, devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home are supplanting smartphones for listening to music, based
on a new survey.
This may be good news for Apple, since its high-end and pricey smart speaker HomePod will be released next week.
However, it’s not just music for which consumers
are turning to their smart speakers, but almost everything else, other than for hailing a taxi, according to the survey of 1,000 U.S. smartphone owners conducted by Localytics.
For listening
to music, using a smart home device has replaced using a smartphone to some degree for almost all (94%) consumers, and a great deal for 58% of them. Here’s the breakdown of how many consumers
are using their smart home device to replace using their smartphone either somewhat or a great deal:
- 94% -- Listen to music
- 94% -- Check the weather
- 87% -- Listen to
radio
- 79% -- Find out when a TV show or movie is playing
- 79% -- Listen to a short news bulletin
- 77% -- Add an item to a shopping list
- 68% -- Listen to an
audiobook
- 67% -- Make a purchase
- 67% -- Listen to a podcast
- 60% -- Order food for delivery or takeout
- 58% -- Book tickets to a show, movie or event
- 41% -- Hail a taxi
The top activities where smart home devices have replaced smartphones a great deal are listening to music, checking the weather and listening to the radio.
Of those who own a smart home device, the majority (67%) have used it two or more times for online shopping with 18% of them using it 11 or more times.
While smartphones remain the dominant
Internet-connected devices, how they’re being used at home is significantly changing. Smart speakers are coming on strong.