Presented at Future Festival in the May Fair Hotel in central London, the research concluded that:
* Consumers are not yet ready for ‘The Internet of Things’. Educating and building the consumers’ confidence in the use of device ecosystems will bring confidence to the market long term and should be the current focus
* Device ecosystems are still largely misunderstood by the public causing huge frustration and apprehension in future purchases
* The mobile phone is at the epicentre of tech purchasing decisions despite computers still being deemed the ‘most important’ device
* Smart TV is in the ascendancy and needs to be more embraced within the device ecosystem
The research found that 52% of consumers said their computers were the ‘most important’ device they own, with the mobile phone being second at 31%. Despite this, the mobile phone dominates purchasing decisions with 37% of people staying brand loyal and 95% of those doing so because they trust and know their phone.
A lack of understanding of ‘ecosystems’ around Apple and Android devices in part comes from a public perception that they are not being given the information that is needed.
Indeed a staggering 70% of the UK public do not know what an Operating System (OS) is.
A significant 44% of people surveyed feel they are very knowledgeable about tech, which is actually a drop from 51% in 2013. Additionally, 47% felt tech was moving too fast to keep up compared to 39% in the same period. Common feedback suggested an industry-standard platform across all brands would help this and in turn help increase understanding and confidence.
TV is still largely a dominant device in everyday life with 91% of the UK public still using their TV on a regular basis. 33% have a Smart TV, up 11% in the past two years, with a further 8% watching their TV through a streaming device. 14% of the UK are looking to buy a Smart TV in the coming 12 months. 50% of the total number of Smart TVs purchased in the UK were made in 2014. Despite this, the TV is still seen as an isolated device separate from other household tech.
To conclude:
The UK market still has a very keen interest in the latest innovations in tech, but need to be more educated in device connectivity. Many consumers believe a single standardised platform or brands being more open with their proprietary systems would make them feel more confident and trusting.
An area with huge growth potential is television. With Smart TV sales looking set to surge in the next 12 months, they are still seen as an ‘isolated’ device and over 90% of those surveyed are still using their TV regularly. The Smart TV should become a core component in building confidence and educating consumers about the connected home.
The mobile phone continues to be a dominant device playing a key role in brand selection of future devices.
Nial Ferguson, Future Content and Marketing Director, says, “The tech market has never been so vibrant and fast paced. More than ever your smartphone, tablet and now even watch, is vital to your everyday routine. This Techmonitor research has once again given an invaluable insight of the British public's tech consumer habits and helps us and our clients to create more focused and targeted content and campaigns that talk directly to them and their needs.”
The research polled almost 3,000 UK based consumers consisting of both Future brand readers and the general public. They were separated into six categories depending on their personal tech knowledge and six age categories from 18 65+.
To see the Techmonitor research in full, click here.
