14 DAY TRIAL // A survey released today shows that four in ten consumers see passwords as a frustration for smart home systems, and look more favorably to biometrics-based solutions.
In fact, 54 percent of all respondents said they'd prefer fingerprint-based authentication systems in their homes, 46 percent opted for voice recognition, and 42 percent for eye scans.
With the Internet of Things set to expand to all areas of their lives, 77 percent of respondents said they expect smart homes to become as common as smartphones by the year 2025.
The topic of smart home security also came up in the survey, and 92 percent said they expect their smart home to get hacked and for criminals to get hold of their personal data.
In fact, 89 percent of respondents said that if they ever get to live in such home, they would invest in a cyber-security package to protect their devices and their data.
Privacy is dead in the realm of IoT
The survey also touched on the topic of online surveillance and user tracking, where Millennials revealed they'd be very comfortable with taking money, discounts, or various coupons in exchange for statistical and behavioral details extracted from their smart home appliances. This very same finding was also confirmed by a similar study from Logicalis UK, which showcased that teens are more willing to sell their data to avoid working.
As for smart homes, expectations are high. Three in four respondents expect to see an immediate profit or personal benefit from living in such homes. Around 57 percent of respondents expect their gas and electric bills to be reduced, while 55 percent expect the same for heating and cooling costs.
When asked what devices or technologies they envision in a smart home, most users responded smart lighting (73%), followed by smart kitchen appliances (62%), and heating systems (thermometers or boiler systems) (60%).
This study was conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Intel Security. It included answers from 9,000 users in nine countries such as the US, the UK, France, Germany, Brazil, India, Canada, Australia, and Mexico.