Smart Speaker Owners Aren't Yet Widely Using Them to Control Connected Home Devices

[mmomega]

"
Smart Speaker Owners Aren't Yet Widely Using Them to Control Connected Home Devices"

I'm trying!! I don't have three grand to throw at connected house things all at once.

My house was mostly Alexa-fied with around a dozen light switches and a handful of hue bulbs and a couple other things, now I'm in the process of selling those switches and replacing with HomeKit enabled things. It's a slow process.

The entire "NEED" or wanting to even do this came from several years back just before Alexa was introduced.
I would be in bed and my wife would walk in to the room, get into bed, several minutes later say can you turn the lights off? I get out of bed, back in to bed. A few moments later, can you turn the fan on? So I started joking as soon as I could I was going to get to remote control switches for the lights and the fan.
So Insteon switches and Alexa came out and were in the house and then the expansion started and now a modification of that expansion is underway. So if anyone wants around 12 Insteon paddle switches and hub that works fantastic with Alexa/Google...

But recently I have added the garage door opener and front door lock.
Idea is to complete switching out a majority of the light switches, a few other oddities and that should be it.
(I have approx 4 bulbs per switch in most rooms, a $45 per switch makes way more sense than $200 in bulbs per room)

 

[MDF314159265]

No surprise. They're really not that useful.

Love your avatar, but I disagree with your statement. They are quite useful. I have found that people who think smart speakers are worthless, lame, dumb, or just don’t work - such simply haven’t used them to their fullest or as intended.

For example: my wife will say “hey Siri, can you please turn on bedroom lights right now?” (Far fetched example, mostly)
And nada. No surprise, because that request is laden with unnecessary words and missing information. Siri would say “Hmmmmm, I’m unable to do that with HomeKit.... blah, blah, blah.”

However, I say “Hey Siri, Master Bedroom 2”
Siri responds with “Voila, Master Bedroom 2 is on/off.”

Home automation products have been available since the 1980s. The latest wrinkle involving web-connected "hubs" adds another layer of complexity, this is progress? Average people are consumers of technology, they don't write programs and they really don't care to program a HA system. Geeks love this HA stuff and wealthy people hire geeks to do the programming -- there's your market in a nutshell -- geeks and the wealthy.

It is progress when you can not lift a finger and say “hey Siri, turn off downstairs lights” and they shut off.
I know what you’re referring to, but those home automation systems typically had a nasty looking panel mounted in some central location; you’d have to walk all of 50-300 feet from wherever you were in your unhumble abode to retract the hidden 40” tube TV under the glossy wood panels and brass fixtures....

I see people either go big or not really use them at all. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground. For example, my parents have an Echo and use it essentially for questions or music. I have 5 Echo's and use them for multi-room music, smart home products (nest, hue lights, harmony hub, smart switches, fireTV), shopping list, reminders, timers, etc.

Older folks like the idea of technology, but few embrace it. You’re comparing apple juice to apple cider.

Most likely because not many have home automation products.

Most people had automation products before the speakers. Speakers started getting big around 2-3 years ago, but smartphone “assistants” have been used to command smart products for at least the last 4-5 years. Roughly.

 

[trip1ex]

home automation is a bunch of bull. it has been around forever. I was interested in when i was younger, but now I just want stuff to work and realize it isn't no trouble to flick a light switch. It's actually a little exercise to have to get up to turn off the lights. And we lack exercise.

 

[bbednarz]

Time is a more precious commodity for most. And few things are simpler than pressing a light switch when walking into a room.

The need to turn on multiple lights in a house, one in which it would take ‘several minutes’ for the average person to accomplish is for certain a very very very niche problem. You’ve either got tremendous square footage, an infirmity, or some totally bizarre gravitational anomaly in your house.

You are telling me you can turn off all of the lights in your house, turn on the fan, set the thermostat, and lock the doors in the time it takes me to say "Hey Siri, Goodnight"?

Interesting.

 

[truthertech]

The huge "flaw" in these surveys, or perhaps the flaw is really how they are later presented, is that they survey people about the types of things they use their smart speakers for, but they usually don't ask respondents for the percentage of time they they spend on each activity. When you do that, you find that the vast, vast majority of time is spend using the device for listening. That's why Apple was smart to brand the HomePod first and foremost for its sound quality. A few other things are useful, e.g., checking on sports, weather, etc., setting a timer, etc., but they are icing on the cake when you have a terrific sounding speaker to listen to music or podcasts, etc. and that you can move around easily.

The vast majority of other things you might aren't useful to most people, but with Siri Shortcuts any lead that Alexa, etc., had in those infrequent use cases is going to be wiped out overnight, and surpassed due to the discoverability provided by Siri Suggestions that Alexa doesn't have.

 

[Marco Klobas]

I second those who claim to use HomePod frequently to control home devices – the opposed of what the survey reports.

By the way, giving commands like turning the light/thermostat on/off is simpler than music related orders. I mean, it's far less prone to misunderstandings. There are no potentially difficult variables involved (name of artists, albums, songs, genres etc.).

Perhaps the real reason is that home connected devices aren't widely adopted in the homes of the average user.

 

[npmacuser5]

I use my voice commands all the time. One used a great deal that surprises me, calculator. Alexa or Siri, add these numbers and divide by 5. Amazing how many simple calculations I was using the iPhone calculator for, now just ask. For me useage of voice started out fast, slowed and then rising again. Once your mind gets used to not reaching for the iPhone calculator, voice becomes more natural for example. Works for me.

 

[CrzyP]

I’m the exact opposite. My primary use with my Echo’s is to control smart home stuff. After a year and a half of ownership, I used it to reorder dog food for the first time.

 

[B.K.]

What can you purchase via a HomePod/Siri?

 

[TheFluffyDuck]

Becasue not many people need an automated home or see a point. Light switches are not difficult. Thermostats are not difficult. It just adds a layer of complexity to something that works fine without. Its looking for a solution where no problem exists.

"Oh no the hallway light isnt connected to the wi-fi for some reason. Time to troubleshoot", "damn all my light switches no longer wrok with the new version of the software. How do I roll back?".

Aint nobody got time for that.

 

[laurim]

I think we'd see more adoption if we had one obvious and clear standard.

Devices would be sold with the standard front and center in a consumer friendly way. A wide range of compatibility is key to making people feel comfortable investing in these products willy nilly. Think telephones...you have 2.4GHz Cordless Phones all in the same isle. It is clear that they all do the same thing basically in the same way. This whole "I can't stream to a HomePod and Google Home Mini and a Bluetooth speaker at the same time" stuff really is absolute madness for the consumer. Sure you can say it is technically complicated to make that work...but it's also political and based on marketing decisions. The consumer doesn't care how technically complicated it is. They see speakers. They see that they don't work together at the same time like hardwired speakers they've used do. Period. As a consumer right now, you have to pick a primary path and go in to secondary paths without the expectation of them mixing together in all the ways you'd like.

With that said, I don't blame people for the slow adoption... With so many options out there with their own hub and different standards...who desires to buy something with fear that the integration they want might not be supported by their phone or home assistant after five to seven years?

Totally agree. I first went all-in with WeMo because they said they would get fully HomeKit compatible. Then said they wouldn’t. I used a raspberry pi workaround to force it to work. Then Apple never came out with lower-cost listeners to put in each room. So I broke down and bought Echo Dots and a SmartThings hub (bought like-new used ones to lower the cost). It’s a challenge to research what device is compatible with what system. I try to buy ones that are cross-compatible but most devices choose one or the other system. It’s probably too much effort for the average person. I do love the convenience when I can operate multiple things at once or things in an inconvenient location so I’ll keep doing it. Sad that Apple screwed up their opportunity to be the leader and make it simple for people with their initial hardware requirement the 3rd party companies didn’t want to follow. The software replacement came too late.
[doublepost=1529425549][/doublepost]

Yep, me too. Plus Nest thermostats. It is incredibly convenient. “Alexa, turn on basement lights” while I have my hands full with a laundry basket.

Yes! I recently added sensors that know when I open the patio door or kitchen door and when I do that, my Ecobee thermostat turns off so I’m not air conditioning the neighborhood. So much more convenient!

 

[skinned66]

You live in a different world from most people here, I'm sorry to say.
"Home automation products have been available since the 1980s." LOL

X10 was invented in 1975. It definitely didn't get widespread use due to many factors, including cost of deployment. By today's standards it's definitely clunky. But they're not incorrect.

 

[SuperCachetes]

You are telling me you can turn off all of the lights in your house, turn on the fan, set the thermostat, and lock the doors in the time it takes me to say "Hey Siri, Goodnight"?

Interesting.

Can’t speak for the person you are replying to, but when I go to bed, “all” the lights in my house aren’t on. My doors are locked unless I’m actively using them. The fan is already on. And my programmable thermostat already knows what to do and when to do it.

My avoidance of voice controls is strictly personal/cultural in nature, but I’m positive my living scenario is far from unique.

 

[mattopotamus]

You are telling me you can turn off all of the lights in your house, turn on the fan, set the thermostat, and lock the doors in the time it takes me to say "Hey Siri, Goodnight"?

Interesting.

most people who knock these smart products have not taken the time to properly set it up. A simple voice command can trigger multiple task. "Alexa, good morning". Turns on my kitchen lights, gives me a flash briefing, starts the coffee pot, and turns on the iron.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

I'd love to use my Echo Plus to control my smart switches, if only it would connect to them or not forget them for no reason. That'd be ideal

Interesting. My house is fully converted to Lutron Caseta for switched lighting, with some Philips Hue thrown in for decoration. For the most part - probably 95+% of the time this works great. Occasionally one or two lights won't turn on.. or off.. when requested, but repeating the request seems to do the trick.

Of course, YMMV. Which smart switches are you using, and do they have a separate hub?
[doublepost=1529426851][/doublepost]

Can’t speak for the person you are replying to, but when I go to bed, “all” the lights in my house aren’t on. My doors are locked unless I’m actively using them. The fan is already on. And my programmable thermostat already knows what to do and when to do it.

My avoidance of voice controls is strictly personal/cultural in nature, but I’m positive my living scenario is far from unique.

Understood. I see the current market / use of voice-activated assistants as a really cool 'nerdy' thing. Does it save me time? Perhaps, though not a lot. Does it make me smile every time I ask Alexa to turn out the house? Absolutely!

For me, that cool / wow / fun factor *is* the value. Over time I expect ability and usage to increase... eventually adding tangible value.

 

[Polaroid]

I do, its so fast! especially Homepod, google home was a tad slow to respond, but Homepod instantly does my lights.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

Home automation products have been available since the 1980s. The latest wrinkle involving web-connected "hubs" adds another layer of complexity, this is progress? Average people are consumers of technology, they don't write programs and they really don't care to program a HA system. Geeks love this HA stuff and wealthy people hire geeks to do the programming -- there's your market in a nutshell -- geeks and the wealthy.

<being funny... not serious>

So, you're saying that the market is Apple users, since we (a) tend to be geeky and (b) have more disposable income?

</>

 

[neutralguy]

The reason people don't use it for home automation is it's damn too expensive to convert your whole house. I hope all the new houses come with built-in wireless power switch. I am not going to spend 25$ on Echo and 500-1000$ in replacing all switches and bulbs!

Also, I think home automation won't move beyond that. Maybe I am wrong. I just replaced my old gas range with a new Samsung one and it has built-in wifi to control the oven. Even though I have set it up on my phone, do I use it? No. Because it does not make sense to use it when you have to be near the over to do the rest of stuff.

 

[mcdspncr]

I would if it worked. Siri can only access my lights half the time. And when it does it's super slow.

Exactly, I have all Lifx bulbs and for some reason Siri has tons of trouble finding them. The lifx app works fine, and prior to the new Airplay 2 update I feel like Siri was a lot more reliable at controlling them.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

You live in a different world from most people here, I'm sorry to say.
"Home automation products have been available since the 1980s." LOL

No... HA products have been available since the 1980's... or even longer. The first commercially viable product was X10, released in 1975. Those required point-to-point wiring, were expensive, and didn't have a lot of usage options... but they did work.

 

[erinsarah]

You live in a different world from most people here, I'm sorry to say.
"Home automation products have been available since the 1980s." LOL

He's not wrong. I have a friend whose parents have a multi-million dollar home on the Jersey Shore (that's NJ, not the UK) and they put in an expensive (and expansive) system decades ago. Among other things they could hit a touchscreen by the bed and activate "dog mode" which turned on just the right lights inside and out, and unlocked the doggie door, so Rover could go poop at three in the morning.

I just recently experimented with HA by picking up a Wink hub and two garage door tilt sensors, the problem I was trying to solve was accidentally leaving my garage doors open all night. I don't have a smart speaker, I just set up notifications on my phone to let me know if the doors were still open after X hours.

So here's my opinion as to why we're not very far along with HA:

1. Lack of need - other than my issue above, I haven't come across anything that's a "must have", and that includes a smart speaker. Automated lights? I find light switches, motion sensors, timers, and children to be just as useful for turning lights on or off when I'm sitting on the couch, at a much lower cost (well, not including the cost of children).

2. It's a confusing industry. Someone new to the industry has an issue, say, they want sensors on their garage doors. They research "garage door sensors" and, after skipping all the hits about Chamberlain's connected openers (because they don't want to replace the whole opener) they find info on sensors. Oh, but the sensors are compatible with something called "Z-Wave", or "ZigBee", or some other protocol they never heard of, so suddenly a half hour of shopping has turned into two hours of research on the industry as a whole. That's when they learn it's not as simple as a sensor, they also need a hub...and perhaps ethernet, and perhaps need to learn how to use IFTT...etc etc. Suddenly their wife tells them to get off the computer and go check the garage doors before bed. Problem solved, no money spent.

 

[slimtastic]

Love your avatar, but I disagree with your statement. They are quite useful. I have found that people who think smart speakers are worthless, lame, dumb, or just don’t work - such simply haven’t used them to their fullest or as intended.

For example: my wife will say “hey Siri, can you please turn on bedroom lights right now?” (Far fetched example, mostly)
And nada. No surprise, because that request is laden with unnecessary words and missing information. Siri would say “Hmmmmm, I’m unable to do that with HomeKit.... blah, blah, blah.”

However, I say “Hey Siri, Master Bedroom 2”
Siri responds with “Voila, Master Bedroom 2 is on/off.”



It is progress when you can not lift a finger and say “hey Siri, turn off downstairs lights” and they shut off.
I know what you’re referring to, but those home automation systems typically had a nasty looking panel mounted in some central location; you’d have to walk all of 50-300 feet from wherever you were in your unhumble abode to retract the hidden 40” tube TV under the glossy wood panels and brass fixtures....



Older folks like the idea of technology, but few embrace it. You’re comparing apple juice to apple cider.



Most people had automation products before the speakers. Speakers started getting big around 2-3 years ago, but smartphone “assistants” have been used to command smart products for at least the last 4-5 years. Roughly.

Thanks! But still, the thought of an always-on listening device in my house is a bit much. But to each their own!

 

[EricNau]

I would... if I could use my HomePod to turn my Apple TV on or off.

I can't believe I still can't do that.

 

[rhett7660]

I'd love to use my Echo Plus to control my smart switches, if only it would connect to them or not forget them for no reason. That'd be ideal

Which smart switches are you using? The reason I ask, as I have had several that would lose connection all the time versus the current brand which hasn't had a single hick up.

I use Alexa a lot. Whether it is a command associated to a routine, scene, playing music via sonos, or just a command, I have it controlling my lights, ceiling fans, and thermostat.

 

[DNichter]

Music and HomeKit is the only stuff I use my HomePod for, but no so surprising considering Echo's dominate this market. I was happy to get rid of my 3 for one HomePod. It's been perfect.