Smart home devices are becoming increasingly prominent in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with six million smart devices now integrated into the daily lives of Alexa users, according to a report by Amazon. These users are reaping the benefits of a connected smart home, utilizing Alexa to control popular devices such as lighting, air conditioners, TVs, and cameras.
In 2023 alone, Alexa users in KSA and UAE initiated nearly 130 million smart home actions and made over 100 million requests to listen to music, the Quran, and podcasts, totaling more than 70 million hours of listening. Throughout the year, Alexa turned lights on and off over 24 million times and controlled air conditioners nearly 9 million times using voice commands, making it the second most frequently used device category.
The report highlights a significant increase in the adoption of smart home technology in the Middle East. There was a 50% year-on-year increase in the number of smart home customers and a 90% year-on-year increase in the number of smart home devices connected to Alexa in 2023.
Interestingly, Alexa received over 2 million declarations of “I love you” and 60,000 marriage proposals during the year.
Dr. Raf Fatani, Regional General Manager of Alexa at Amazon Mena, commented on the rapid adoption of smart home technologies in the region: “The UAE and Saudi Arabia are embracing cutting-edge technologies with palpable excitement. We’re humbled by the adoption pace of Alexa and our smart home devices, welcoming ambient intelligence into daily lives across the region.”
Fatani emphasized that ambient intelligence, which integrates AI, devices, and services, creates an experience greater than the sum of its parts. He noted Amazon’s investment in local talent and resources to tailor products for these markets, ensuring Alexa meets unique customer needs.
Amazon recently introduced a multi-view feature for customers in the UAE and KSA, allowing them to see live feeds from up to four cameras, including Ring, on their multimodal devices. Customers can also ask Alexa to show their recently active cameras or specific groups of cameras with simple voice commands.
Mohammad Meraj Hoda, VP of Business Development – MEA at Ring, highlighted the goal of providing customers with peace of mind through intuitive home connectivity and control. Alexa customers in the UAE and KSA are utilizing integrated smart home hubs in Echo devices, which support various standards such as Zigbee, Sidewalk, Thread, Bluetooth, and Matter, enabling easy control of compatible lights, locks, and sensors.
In Saudi Arabia, the most commonly used lighting brands in smart homes are Smart Life, Tuya, and Sonoff. Top television brands connected to Alexa include Samsung, LG, and Broadlink IR Remote. For cameras, Ring, EZVIZ, and Tapo are the preferred choices, while for climate control, customers turn to Broadlink IR Remote, Smart Life, and Midea.
The growing adoption of Alexa and smart home devices in the UAE and Saudi Arabia showcases the region’s enthusiasm for advanced technologies and the convenience they bring to everyday life.
