Over the past decade, there has been a huge development in smart tech and its integration into our homes and everyday lives. From the security of our properties to tracking our daily fitness, there is smart tech for everything. But where in the UK has truly embraced the adoption of this technology?
A recent study by tech retailer Currys analysed the Google search volume for various types of smart tech across the UK to discover which city or town is considered the “smartest” for tech in the home.
The town that came out on top overall was Gateshead in Tyne and Wear; it scored the highest for smart energy device searches (which included smart thermostats, radiator valves and smart lighting- smart wall lights, smart table lamps, smart bulbs, smart switches) per 1000 residents and scored highly for smart connectivity searches too (smart home Wi-Fi systems, smart plugs, smart remotes, smart displays, smart clocks, home voice control- Google Home, Nest, Alexa etc.) , resulting in 28.2 out of 50 overall.
Top smart tech products searched for in Gateshead in each category
- Energy consciousness – Smart radiator valves
- Home security – Smart smoke alarms
- Entertainment – Smart TVs
- Fitness – Smartwatches
- Connectivity – Alexa
In second place was Bolton, a town in Greater Manchester, with a score of 25.6 out of 50. Scoring highly for smart connectivity and smart fitness too (Smart watches- Apple watches, Fitness trackers, Smart Health-sleeping monitors, smart scales, smart water bottles).
Top smart tech products searched for in Bolton in each category
- Energy consciousness – Smart radiator valves
- Home security –Smart window sensors
- Entertainment – Streaming sticks
- Fitness –Apple watches
- Connectivity – Alexa
In third was the Yorkshire city of Wakefield, which, although not scoring top for any individual category, scored 23.3 out of 50 overall.
Top smart tech products searched for in Wakefield in each category
- Energy consciousness – Smart thermostat
- Home security –Smart doorbells
- Entertainment – Streaming sticks
- Fitness – Apple watches
- Connectivity – Google Home