Commentary

Consumers Who Experience IoT Want More, But Most Not Aware

One of the biggest hurdles in the adoption of Internet of Things devices by consumers is simple awareness.

While many consumers have actually used or experienced IoT devices in their personal lives or at work, most are not even aware of the Internet of Things, based on a new study.

The study -- a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults who have primary or secondary responsibility for making household financial and purchase decisions -- was weighted to represent the demographics of the U.S. population, and was conducted by Market Strategies.

Fewer than a quarter (23%) of consumers are aware of the Internet of Things, or IoT. The majority (68%) of consumers are not, and the remainder are unsure.

However, many have actually used or come across IoT technologies. For example, almost half (48%) have had experiences with wearable technology, including activity trackers, and about a third (32%) have had experiences with smart appliances that use WiFi for remote monitoring.

The study found a large difference in viewpoints between those who have familiarity with IoT and those who don’t, especially related to the issue of regulations.

Almost half (48%) of those who are familiar with the Internet of Things believe the government should regulate the use of IoT technologies in the workplace. Only a quarter (24%) of those who are not familiar with IoT said the government should regulate its use.

There are other differences based on IoT knowledge.

Those who work in an IoT environment desire more IoT technologies in place -- such as smart voice and IoT technologies -- to be used in many places throughout the day. Only half of those not in such environments have interest in any of those things.

Consumers are not likely to want IoT innovations if they don’t even know about them.

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