WILTON, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research from the leading online research and survey technology provider, Toluna, has today revealed that, despite concerns, almost 9 in 10 U.S. women (86%) plan to actively use connected technology, or the Internet of Things (IoT).
The survey, which questioned a representative sample of 1,000 U.S. consumers, aimed to uncover how they felt about the prospect of connected living and what they knew and understood about the phrase ‘Internet of Things’. A comparative study was also carried out in the U.K.
Half of U.S. consumers (50%) said they were excited by the prospect of saving time with the new technology, compared to just 45% of U.K. consumers. Meanwhile, 43% were enthused by the prospect of a more organized life. Interestingly, women are more excited by this technology than men, with two in five believing it will make them more efficient (40%) and prevent them forgetting things (36%). It seems women will be the early adopters of the connected technology that promises a streamlined and smarter way of living.
The survey revealed more women than men in the U.S. would welcome connected household appliances taking control of the day-to-day chores, such as refrigerators that inform consumers when groceries are running low (57% and 41% respectively). In the U.K., half of the population (51%), regardless of age, gender or income bracket, found this use of connected technology appealing.
It was also discovered that significantly more U.S. women than men (48% and 37% respectively) would adopt connected technology for healthcare, e.g. smart medicine bottles that were able to arrange doctors’ appointments and order repeat prescriptions. In addition, considerably more women (45%) than men (34%) feel that the IoT would boost their social lives, by using it to book last-minute tickets, restaurant tables, and more.
However, more than two thirds of American women (70%) have concerns about the security of the IoT, with 87% of U.S. women fearful hackers could access their personal data. And 60% raised concerns regarding the reliability of the IoT, with 63% being particularly worried about being left stranded should the technology fail.
While U.S. men were more concerned than women (60% and 50% respectively) about the potential for private actions to become public more easily through using the connected technology, both had some concerns (37%) about other members of their household being able to place orders or change systems without permission. This latter concern is greater than in the U.K., where only 30% cited this as an issue.
“With technological advances making an increasing impact on our day-to-day lives, we wanted to discover how U.S. consumers really feel about the IoT and the implications it may have,” said Mark Simon, Managing Director, North America, Toluna.
Simon added, “It has been interesting to discover that U.S. women in particular wish to optimize their lives using connected living technology and can appreciate the lifestyle benefits. However, developers must acknowledge and address consumer concerns regarding privacy and reliability for IoT technology to reach its full potential.”
Other key findings:
- Three quarters (74%) of U.S. consumers already know something about connected living – compared to just 67% in the U.K.
- Interestingly, although the highest level of awareness was found amongst the youngest age group (under 35s) at 78%, the second highest was found in the oldest generation (55+) at 74%.
- Although 77% of consumers believe that technology makes life easier and more organized, more than half (51%) would not like any further technology in their lives.
- In contrast to the U.K., where just 37% of consumers are interested in connecting their car to the internet, nearly half (49%) of U.S. consumers would like to drive a connected car.
- Over a quarter (28%) of U.S. consumers would like to see tech developers focus on flying cars in the future, and (23%) would like to see the introduction of hologram TVs and phones.
Methodology
The survey was conducted in October 2014 among 1,000 adults (18+) in the U.K. and U.S. respectively. Respondents were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Toluna surveys. Figures for age, gender, education, income, employment, and region were weighted to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the online population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
