Sigrid Saagpakk, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that a smart TV is the most common Internet of Things device in Estonia, used by 57% of internet users. “The second most popular group of devices includes smart watches, wireless headsets and GPS devices, which are used by over a half (53%) of the respondents. Internet-connected home audio systems and smart speakers are also fairly common (28%),” added Saagpakk. 

Smart fridges and robot vacuums 

Internet-connected home appliances and voice-activated virtual assistants, such as Alexa or Siri, are gaining popularity – their use has grown by 35% over the last four years.

“For example, 22% of the surveyed internet users have a robot lawnmower, a robot vacuum or a smart fridge at home,” explained Saagpakk. She added that many households also use internet-connected lights, plug-ins or electricity metres, as 18% of respondents said that they use these. 

Another popular category is internet-connected security solutions, such as smoke alarms, security cameras or various locks – the number of users of such devices has doubled in four years. 

Not everyone uses the Internet of Things

Although a substantial share of Estonian residents use various internet-connected devices and systems, there are also people who do not use Internet of Things devices for one reason or another.

“85% of those who do not use smart devices stated that they simply do not have a need for these. 10% said that they cannot afford these devices due to their high prices, and 3% of respondents mentioned possible security issues related to the use of the Internet of Things,” noted Saagpakk. 

Price matters when choosing which device to buy

When it comes to buying a new device, the most important factor is clearly the price, which is considered important by 69% of respondents. “People also take into account hardware characteristics, such as speed or storage capacity, which were mentioned by 66% of respondents,” said Saagpakk. She noted that the brand or size of the device are also important for buyers (51%).

The aspects that are considered the least important when buying a new device are the possibility to buy extra guarantee (11%), the environmental impact of the device (14%), and the offer of a take-back scheme (15%).

Only a small share of electronic devices are recycled
 
As the use of smart devices increases, people will also have more devices that need to be replaced over time. But what happens to the devices that are no longer needed? 

“People usually keep their old devices in their household,” admitted Saagpakk. This trend is the most prevalent among young people (16–24-year-olds), with 65% of them saying that they keep their old mobile or smart phone. Giving an old phone away or selling it is the most common among 25–34-year-olds, as about a quarter (25%) of this age group have done this with a device that they replaced.

When laptops and tablets are replaced, the patterns of behaviour are very similar. “Most of the laptops and tablets that people replace are kept in the household without any further use,” said Saagpakk. In the case of desktop computers, the majority of respondents have had no need to replace the device or have never owned a desktop computer.

The survey results show that disposing of a phone in electronic waste collection or recycling is the most common among 25–34-year-olds (this was done by 10% of this age group). Old laptops and tablets are recycled the most often by 35–44-year-olds and 45–54-year-olds (10% in total). Disposing of desktop computers through recycling is the most common in age group 55–64 (17%). 

Overall, only 9% of all respondents dispose of their old devices through electronic waste collection or recycling.