Pandemic Spurred More ‘Convenience-Driven’ Smart Home Buys, Says NPD

Half of U.S. consumers own at least one smart home device, up from 35% in January 2020, reported NPD Wednesday. Security cameras remain the most commonly owned smart home device, but security systems (up 44%), smart garage door openers (up 21%) and smart lighting (up 19%) had the largest one-year gains in adoption, it said. Security is a “key motivator” in smart home device purchases, but with many consumers shifting their focus to home projects during COVID-19 restrictions, “we saw growth in more convenience-driven categories,” said NPD. Unit sales of smart lighting increased 43% in 2020, compared with 17% growth in 2019, it said.