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A latest survey has revealed that smart speakers help people who live alone feel less lonely and imbibe a stronger sense of independence among people who are differently abled.
The Ofcom research survey was carried out on 100 owners and 15 owners who tested a smart speaker, said they treated their device like a companion and liked talking to it, Guardian reported.
Some differently abled respondents said the smart speakers had a significant impact on their lives by giving them greater independence and helping them to manage and improve their conditions. A respondent said that his caregivers did not have to keep getting up every five minutes. He cited example of having switched on the lights through a voice command.
According to the Ofcom data, smart speaker ownership doubled during the Covid-19 pandemic from 22 per cent in 2020 to 39 per cent this year. The participants said they used their smart speakers to listen to music, news, radio and weather updates, the Guardian report added.
Around 13 per cent of all radio listening hours are through smart speakers, industry figures revealed. The respondents said they listened to the radio more than before and the smart speaker enabled them to listen to a wider range of stations.
According to the research, 27 per cent of the smart speaker owners were updated with news from these devices and most of them used smart speakers for instant headlines. Some participants said they appreciated the features of smart speakers.
Those respondents who don’t have a smart speaker, said they saw it as a luxury than a necessity. Some of them expressed concerns about eavesdroppers due to the speakers talking despite not ordered through the wake word.
Some respondents also expressed concern about the possibility of criminals using smart speakers to steal data, bank details or identities.
