The majority of customers for smart home products, such as smart speakers, are technically savvy adults between the ages of 25 and 55. However, these customers are often not the only ones who end up using the products once they are installed at home.
Many smart home customers live with young children or have a partner who cares about music but has little interest in a smart speaker. Some customers want to improve the lives of their elderly parents. Additionally, some users may have a strong accent that causes issues with speech recognition, while others simply want the benefits of smart music and lighting without relying on their smartphones or technology in general.
This is why there is no "right way" to control a smart home; it's more about finding a fitting solution for your specific home. Smartphones, voice interfaces, and tangible interfaces all have their place and can work well together in most cases. They do not replace each other but rather complement each other.
In this post, we will explore how MoodBlocks and MoodPlay were designed to serve as smart home controls for people of all ages and levels of technical expertise.
MoodPlay for Kids
Many parents hesitate to give smartphones to their young children, for obvious reasons. Voice technology provides a great solution for kids who can interact with voice commands, and for parents who want a voice interface in their home. Another option that kids absolutely love is MoodBlocks.
Parents can start by creating their own MoodBlocks with their kids. We often see parents choosing cute stickers together with their child and placing or drawing on the MoodBlocks. This fosters beautiful creativity and allows kids to have a personal connection with "their" music.
During music time, kids can choose from their own blocks and play music by simply placing the MoodBlocks on MoodPlay. We have observed that kids as young as 1.5 years old have no trouble using MoodPlay.
Audio boxes for kids are already popular with both kids and parents. However, many parents are hesitant because the music figurines or cards can be expensive, and because they will eventually have to discard the box once the child no longer wants to use the "baby box". MoodPlay, on the other hand, can be used from a young age and throughout a child's life, as well as by their parents. It is an investment that will provide years of enjoyment and create cherished memories between parents and kids for decades to come.
MoodPlay for non-technical people
Many of our customers choose to buy MoodPlay because it allows them to enjoy music that their partner likes from their Sonos system, without having to use a smartphone or voice commands. While MoodPlay is a highly technical tool, it was designed to be as user-friendly as a non-technical product, such as a vinyl record player, or even simpler.
MoodBlocks enable each person in a household to select or create a block with their favorite music. Customers who are particularly design-conscious appreciate how they can showcase their music and personal taste. For many customers, MoodBlocks become a form of "Smart Art" - an expression of their personality, similar to their clothing, furniture, or other artwork.
Anyone can simply come home, choose a block, and place it on MoodPlay to enjoy their preferred music. Whether they want to focus on work, relax, or have dinner with friends, the music and the overall experience within their home become the main focus, with the technology completely fading into the background.
MoodPlay for the golden age
Another customer group consists of individuals who have elderly parents and would like them to have access to the benefits of smart speakers like Sonos.
My mom is obviously biased, but she describes MoodPlay as "more practical" than a smartphone. She usually listens to a few public radio stations and a handful of playlists that I created for her. MoodPlay is the perfect solution for her. Instead of fumbling through a phone with tiny fonts or having to think of what to play when using voice, she can simply choose her favorite radio station or playlist from a small selection. This makes music feel less overwhelming compared to the endless list on a phone.
It's a simple and undoubtedly the most fun way to control your Sonos. Just as Sonos envisioned many years ago, people can now finally “fill their homes with music” because it has become easy to do so.