Australians abandon smart devices over app fatigue and privacy fears
People are ditching smart appliances that demand apps and passwords, finding the complexity costs more time than it saves.
Smart TVs track what you watch and sell the data to advertisers. Smart cars bristle with cameras.
Smart washing machines message your phone mid-cycle. Many owners are simply switching them off and putting them in the cupboard.
App fatigue is the culprit. Robot vacuums text you when they get stuck under a bed.
Washing machine apps require yet another password you'll forget. Even smart fridges seem pointless when you can open the door yourself.
Hackers have shown the real risk: across Europe, internet-connected supermarket fridges were remotely switched to defrost mode, spoiling tonnes of food. Commercial fridges became vulnerable the moment they went online.
Consumers have realised that dumbing things down to a simple on-off switch is often the smart thing to do. It's not just the privacy cost; time wasted on app updates and forgotten passwords outweigh any gain.
Why it mattersConsumers are rethinking whether internet-connected appliances save time or waste it, and makers are beginning to rethink the internet-appliance relationship too.
AustraliaAustralian consumers face the same app fatigue and privacy concerns; smart device makers selling locally will need to adapt to customer backlash.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 1 h ago
