The reason why many consumers are not connecting their smart appliances to the internet is that they do not see the value in it. The manufacturers believe that connecting the appliances to the internet can provide them with data and insights about how customers use their products, allowing them to send over-the-air updates and sell relevant replacement parts or subscription services.
However, consumers do not see the benefit in spending time to connect their appliances and often forget to reconnect them if their internet provider, router hardware, or Wi-Fi password changes. This is why fewer than half of LG’s smart appliances.
Companies like Whirlpool and LG are missing out on services revenue by not fully utilizing data collected from connected appliances. These companies have attempted to use data from smart appliances to increase sales of products like water filters, and to offer new features like safety alerts. However, some customers may not want to provide companies with access to their networks due to concerns about privacy and security.
Additionally, smart home devices, also known as Internet of Things (IoT) devices, are often built with a focus on data acquisition and upload rather than privacy and security. This has led to widespread concerns about the security and privacy of these devices and calls for universal IoT security labeling.
Personally the only smart appliances connect to the Internet are the ones that use automation and IoT. Recipes and weather widgets on refrigerators are not important enough to get my smart appliances online.
