Pandemic pushes Brits to spend £33bn on smart tech, but only a third say it has made life easier
After UK households dished out an eyewatering £33bn on smart devices in the last year, only a third of Brits say it has made life easier, according to research from Uswitch.
While the pandemic pushed people’s social lives to the digital sphere, comparison service Uswitch found a quarter of UK adults now have four or more smart apps on their phone.
The survey, which questioned 2,000 adults, found that the average UK gadget owner spends an average of £641.40 on smart tech a year.
Mobiles and tech expert at Uswitch, Catherine Hiley, said: “Unfortunately, it seems that some consumers are purchasing smart tech without really understanding the extent of its capabilities.”
The pandemic has given smart tech’s sharp trajectory extra fuel, with 38 per cent of Brits planning to buy even more devices over the next twelve months.
Smart TV’s, tablets and speakers were found to be the most popular items after the obvious – smartphones – with a quarter of households owning at least one of each.
Smart watches have been climbing the ranks, doubling in popularity since 2019 according to Uswitch, as they are now found on one in five wrists.
However, Uswitch’s study suggested some Brits are not using smart tech devices to their full potential, with two-fifths of smart doorbell owners admitting they do not actually use the designated app to control settings or check the device footage.
And out of the six million people in the UK who own smart light fittings, just over half use the gadgets app to control their lighting.
The research suggested that making products ‘smarter’ may have hit a wall, as smart lawn mowers, locks and tumble dryers make up the top three most regretted purchases out of respondents who preferred the ‘non-smart’ alternatives.