Voice-activated home speakers, commonly called “smart speakers,” arguably represent the most important new audio distribution platform since the smartphone.
The latest survey from Adobe Analytics explored trends within smart speaker ownership. The majority of respondents (63%) are using their devices in their living room. The popularity of smart speakers in living spaces could guide how manufacturers and how voice skills further develop. Continue Reading
Amazon has shared some year-end milestones for the Alexa skills behind its smart speakers. The company said that there are now more than 70,000 Alexa skills worldwide, growing from the 50,000 announced in September 2018. Amazon also shared a list of what it dubbed the top 25 Alexa skills of 2018. Continue Reading
Deloitte has released its 2019 predictions and is forecasting a big year ahead for smart speakers. The company projected that the smart speaker market will be worth $7 billion in 2019, a spike of 63% for total industry revenue. The report also gave a positive outlook for radio and artificial intelligence. Continue Reading
Google is reinventing a standard feature in smart speakers: the news update. Made famous by Amazon Echo’s “Flash Briefing,” Google’s version is invoked by “Play the news.” The initiative would bring the vast news collection capability of Google News into the voice activation realm. Continue Reading
Amazon has launched new voice features for Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited listeners using its Alexa assistant. The updates will increase personalization of music requests and more conversational interactions with Alexa. Continue Reading
Apple Music will be arriving on Amazon Echo smart speakers by the end of the year. Access to Apple’s streaming service will begin for subscribers the week of December 17. Customers will be able to control playback from Apple’s library with voice commands on the line of smart speakers. Continue Reading
Pandora announced that its full on-demand subscription tier can now be accessed via Amazon Alexa. Pandora Premium has added support for voice commands, meaning subscribers can issue commands to control playback for songs, stations, and playlists on Alexa-enabled devices. Continue Reading
Canalys has released its third-quarter market research on the global smart speaker industry. Worldwide shipments increased 137% on-year for a total of 19.7 million units. After a strong Q2 for Google, Amazon has regained its lead in the latest period, likely thanks to its big sales push on Prime Day. Continue Reading
Voice assistants and smart devices are one of the hottest topics for the audio industry, and a new report from Voicebot.ai, PullString, and the RAIN Agency traces the trend’s progress. According to the report, voice assistants have moved out of their first phase, marked by availability across platforms and languages and access to core features. It suggested that the second phase of voice will be marked by more nuanced features, use in more contexts, and availability on more connected devices. Continue Reading
Podcast company Acast announced the launch of an Alexa voice skill. This development allows listeners to start, pause, and skip their way through Acast’s programming lineup on Alexa-enabled devices. It will also encourage discovery, with podcast fans having the option to explore new shows through playlists curated by Acast. Continue Reading
The Consumer Technology Association conducted a survey of Canadians’ technology ownership. While products such as televisions, smartphones, and laptops demonstrated near-ubiquity, smart speakers did show promising signs in the market. Continue Reading
Sonos has released new hardware in the smart speaker space, but its software options have thus far been limited to Amazon Alexa. The company had previously stated that it was working on adding support for Google Assistant this year. Continue Reading