The number of devices connected to WiFi has skyrocketed by 12X since 2018 as Xfinity households connected nearly 1 billion devices in 2021, according to Comcast’s newly published 2021 WiFi Trends Report.
“The ecosystem of connected devices in the home and the applications running on them has exploded over the last few years, driving a shift in consumers perceptions on what truly is important to their connectivity experience,” said Sophie Ahmad, Chief Marketing Officer of Xfinity Consumer Service, Comcast Cable. “Unbeatable Internet that provides the best connection, complete security, faster speeds and the best tech is now integral to how Americans work, exercise, parent, and entertain.”
Key findings from the 2021 report include:
Smartphones dominate the connected device category – nearly 347 million connected in Xfinity households in 2021 accounting for nearly one-third of all devices over the year, a 23X increase from 2018.
Health was the fastest rising device category, with more than 49 million smartwatches and fitness trackers connected to WiFi in Xfinity households––a 39X increase from 2018. Exercise equipment connected to WiFi also increased 93X for a total of almost 841,000 devices. This trend will continue, with 20 percent of households planning to purchase fitness-related devices over the next 12 months.
Xfinity households connected more than 2.5 million IoT devices in 2021, a 31X increase over 2018 levels. This category include connected cameras, doorbells, thermostats, etc.
Streaming continued to see significant growth in Xfinity households in 2021, with 119 million devices connected to WiFi during the year – a 14X increase from 2018.
More than 36 million gaming consoles connected to WiFi in Xfinity households – a 15X increase from 2018. Nearly two in three Americans who play online games (or live with others who do) say online video games are being played more today compared to five years ago.
More than 1 million Xfinity households used xFi parental controls, with customers pausing/unpausing WiFi nearly 100 million times. In the same year, more than 477,000 customers created a total of more than 1 million “downtime” schedules, with the most popular moment being bedtime – followed by homework and dinnertime.
Nearly three in five Americans (59 percent) improved their WiFi last year, with about a third upgrading their equipment (28 percent) or increasing their speeds (27 percent). In addition, Xfinity Internet customers have purchased more than one million xFi pods, WiFi extenders that ensure stronger WiFi coverage throughout the home, over the last 3 years. Two in five Americans (45 percent) also said that WiFi is more important to their daily lives than reliable transportation.
