People think smart home tech is too expensive—here's what it really costs
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According to new research commissioned by smart home software and hardware brand Wink, 34% of Americans believe it would cost $5,000 or more to turn their home into a smart home. It's a stark contrast from Wink's real world user data: Of the company's 2.7 million users, the average person starts with just 4 smart devices, and spends about $200.
The information comes from a report Wink has dubbed their Smart Home Index, released today, in which more than 2,000 U.S. adults were surveyed by a team at Harris Poll.
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Aside from the cost misconception, a few other key insights rose to the top. For example, the adoption rate disparities across gender lines and income lines have almost disappeared. 43% of connected device buyers are now women, and 20% of all households with income under $50,000 per year have purchased a connected product.
Of those that did purchase a smart home device, energy savings was the most frequently cited reason for doing so, followed by security. Only 33% of buyers expressed a desire to monitor or control their homes while away.
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Finally, Harris surveyed renters and found that 36% of them would pay an average of 5% more in rent each month for an apartment with smart home features. In cities like New York and San Francisco, that could add up to thousands of extra dollars annually.