Skip to main content

Internet of Things Drives Demand for Security Support

If you're one of those American consumers that learned how to configure your Wi-Fi router to add various new devices to your wireless home network, then consider yourself one of the many who are self-sufficient techies.

Parks Associates reports that, based on the findings from their recent market study, 84 percent of U.S. broadband households set-up their entertainment and computing devices on their own, while 60 percent set-up their smart home devices on their own.

The Parks study found that despite this independent on-boarding process, the need for vendor technical support persists and will increase as consumers bring more connected devices into the home.

"Consumers’ home networks are rapidly expanding through the adoption of complex connected devices," said Patrice Samuels, research analyst at Parks Associates.

Tech support is a key factor in tying together the Internet of Things (IoT), according to Parks Associates. For example, 27 percent of U.S. broadband households owned a connected health device by the end of 2014.

As consumers embrace new categories of devices, support needs will increase dramatically. Support providers must invest in new tools and solutions that minimize the burden on support resources.

Vendor support services can ensure a positive user experience, monitor devices for proper operation, and protect the connected home from online cyber attacks by implementing the appropriate security measures.

Moreover, the evolving tech support demand will grow, as more complex new devices are introduced into the home environment. Approximately 60 percent of U.S. broadband households polled already have concerns about device security and data security on their home network.

"Consumers appreciate the convenience and control that comes with increased connectivity, but they are aware of the potential security risks," adds Samuels.

High-profile media reports only heighten their concerns. Device manufacturers and broadband service providers must design security features into their connected products and communicate directly to consumers regarding their ongoing efforts to combat the known security risks.

Popular posts from this blog

Global Digital Business and IT Consulting Outlook

Across the globe, CEOs and their leadership teams continue to seek information and guidance about planned Digital Transformation initiatives and the most effective enterprise organization change management practices. Worldwide IT and Business Services revenue will grow from $1.13 trillion in 2022 to $1.2 trillion in 2023 -- that's a 5.7 percent year-over-year growth, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). The mid-term to long-term outlook for the market has also increased -- the five-year CAGR is forecast at 5.2 percent, compared to the previous 4.9 percent. Digital Sevices & Consulting Market Development IDC has raised the growth projection despite a weak economic outlook, because of vendor performances across 2022, growth indicators from adjacent markets, increased government funding, and inflation impacts. The actual 2022 market growth was 6.7 percent (in constant currency), which was 87 basis points higher than forecast last year, alth

Digital Talent Demand Exceeds Supply in Asia-Pac

Even the savviest CEO's desire for a digital transformation advantage has to face the global market reality -- there simply isn't enough skilled and experienced talent available to meet demand. According to the latest market study by IDC, around 60-80 percent of Asia-Pacific (AP) organizations find it "difficult" or "extremely difficult" to fill many IT roles -- including cybersecurity, software development, and data insight professionals. Major consequences of the skills shortage are increased workload on remaining digital business and IT employees, increased security risks, and loss of "hard-to-replace" critical transformation knowledge. Digital Business Talent Market Development Although big tech companies' layoffs are making headlines, they are not representative of the overall global marketplace. Ongoing difficulty to fill key practitioner vacancies is still among the top issues faced by leaders across industries. "Skills are difficul

Mobile Device Market Still Awaiting Recovery

The mobile devices market has experienced three years of unpredictable demand. The global pandemic, geopolitical pressures, supply chain issues, and macroeconomic headwinds have hindered the sector's consistent growth potential. This extremely challenging environment has dramatically affected both demand and supply chains. It has led to subsequent inflationary pressures, leading to a worsening global cost of living crisis suppressing growth and confidence in the sector. In tandem, mobile device industry stakeholders have become more cautious triggering market uncertainties. Mobile Device Market Development Operating under such a backdrop, the development of mobile device ecosystems and vendor landscapes have been impacted severely. Many of these market pressures persisted throughout 2022 and now into 2023, borne chiefly by the smartphone market. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research, worldwide smartphone shipments in 2022 declined 9.6 percent Year-over-Year