BI Intelligence
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Amazon is reportedly working on a smart doorbell that delivery drivers can use to enter a one-time access code in order to deliver Prime orders into consumers’ homes, according to CNBC.
The device will either need to link to a user’s smart lock or have some sort of lock component in it, and it’s still unclear when it would be released, or how much it would cost. The announcement follows a similar Walmart initiative involving crowdsourced delivery startup Deliv that uses August smart locks to provide in-home deliveries in California.
While the device has some potential, it’s still unclear whether it will be able to overcome consumers’ privacy concerns.
- The Amazon doorbell offers unique value propositions that other smart home devices don’t have. Sixteen percent of consumers don’t use an online grocery delivery service because they aren’t home during the time of day they can accept the service’s shipments, and 31% of US shoppers have experienced package theft, according to Shorr. The Amazon doorbell can solve both of these issues for consumers, which could in turn expand Amazon’s share of the smart home market.
- But it’s unclear whether that will trump consumers’ reluctance to allow delivery drivers into their homes. While it’s likely Amazon would use professional couriers for these deliveries, consumers could still feel reluctant to allow a stranger to enter their homes to deliver goods. However, since Walmart and Deliv are already trialing a similar service, Amazon likely wants to see how well they’re received.
The US smart home market has still yet to meet the expectations many observers had in the early part of this decade.
The same issues BI Intelligence first identified back in 2015 still plague the space — persistently high prices, technological fragmentation, and consumers’ lack of a perceived benefit from the devices.
But the newfound popularity of smart home voice control has revolutionized smart home ecosystems across the country, and convinces more consumers to equip their homes with smart devices on a daily basis. The Amazon Echo, released in 2014, has become immensely popular and capable, awakening users to the utility of both voice control and smart home devices. This has prompted companies to rush to release competing devices and integrate voice control into their smart home ecosystems.
BI Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on the US smart home market that:
- Analyzes current consumer demand for smart home devices based off results from BI Intelligence’s proprietary survey.
- Forecasts future growth in the number of smart home devices installed in American homes.
- Analyzes the factors influencing the proliferation of voice control devices in the homes.
- Identifies and analyzes the market strategies of various companies that have integrated voice control into their smart home ecosystems.
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