Smart speakers help people living alone feel less lonely, survey finds

Smart speakers help people who live on their own feel less lonely and give some disabled people a stronger sense of independence, according to new Ofcom research.

During an in-depth survey of 100 owners and 15 non-owners who tested a smart speaker, some described their device as being like a companion and said they liked being able to talk to it.

Some disabled respondents said it has had a significant impact on their lives, giving them greater independence and helping them to manage, and even improve, their conditions and abilities.

The research participants said they mainly used their smart speakers to listen to music, radio, news and weather updates.

Latest industry figures show that 13% of all radio listening hours are now via smart speakers.

People generally felt they listened to the radio more than they had done before and said their smart speaker allowed them to listen to a wider range of stations.

However, most said they use their smart speakers for instant headlines but still turn to TV, print or online for more in-depth news.

There was a mix of views on the extent to which people liked their devices to personalise their content, with some appreciating the feature but others finding it unsettling.

People who do not own a smart speaker said they did not see the point or saw it as a luxury rather than a necessity. A few were concerned about eavesdroppers and this was exacerbated by their speaker sometimes talking despite nobody using the wake word.

Others wondered about the potential for criminals to use smart speakers to steal data, bank details or identities through hacking, saying they had heard examples of other technologies such as baby monitors and routers being hacked.