Over Half of Residents in Major Russian Cities Use Smart Home Devices
According to a GfK study on the awareness and use of smart home systems in Russia, which Forbes reviewed, 52% of Russians living in major cities are already actively using smart home devices. Another 23% of respondents plan to start using smart home technology in the near future.
The researchers conducted an online survey in March 2024, polling 3,000 people aged 18 to 65 who live in large cities (with populations of at least 700,000). The number of people using smart home devices varies by age group. The most active users of smart technologies are people aged 18 to 45, especially families with children. However, even in older age groups, the number of users or those planning to use smart home devices exceeds 50%.
Analysts note that smart household appliances (such as robot vacuums, electric kettles, etc.) and smart speakers have the highest level of penetration into the daily lives of major city residents. Additionally, people are interested in devices that can make regular household appliances “smart,” such as smart plugs, switches, or relays.
The level of adoption of smart home technologies and devices is somewhat higher in Moscow than in other large cities, while the lowest level of smart home penetration is observed in major cities in the Ural region.
In terms of spontaneous brand awareness, the Yandex ecosystem with its voice assistant Alice is three times more recognized than its closest competitor, Xiaomi Mi Home. Other highly recognized brands include VK Smart Home, Sber Smart Home, and Google Home. “More than half (56%) of all smart home users in Russian cities prefer the Yandex Smart Home with Alice. The Xiaomi ecosystem is three times less common, with 19% of respondents using its devices, while VK Smart Home devices are used by 10%,” GfK reports. Yandex and VK systems are most often associated with voice assistants, while Xiaomi Mi Home is more often seen as an ecosystem with broad connectivity and device management capabilities.
Yandex and Xiaomi are the two most well-known smart device brands on the Russian market. Other top smart device vendors include Sber, Samsung, Rostelecom, VK, and LG.