The European smart home market closed 2019 with record data, but the coronavirus epidemic will decrease demand in the first six months of 2020. This is what IDC analysts predict, which are expected for the second quarter of the year the first drop in the sector due to a drop in sales of smart TVs.
Last year, deliveries of objects for the smart home - from speakers and TVs to thermostats and lights - increased by 20% on an annual basis in Europe to 107 million units, of which 39.9 million in the fourth quarter thanks to the towing of Black Friday and the Christmas holidays. For 2024, experts estimate a market with 201 million devices.
In recent months, however, Covid-19 will weigh on the sector.
"In the first half of 2020, interest in smart home products will slow down and we expect the market to decline for the first time in the second quarter on an annual basis," explains analyst Antonio Arantes, who says it is Smart TVs will be penalized above all, who will have to give up the push of the Olympics and the European Football Championships.
Among the companies, Amazon maintained the top position with 19.4% of the market in the fourth quarter of 2019, followed by Google (15.2%), Samsung (12.7%), LG (10.1%) and Sony (5%).
Looking at the products, on the other hand, smart TVs hold over half the market with 61.7 million units in 2020 (52.3%). Following the smart speakers with 26 million pieces, devices for monitoring the home (13.3 million), lights (8.6 million) and thermostats (3.4 million).
