Voice-activated home speakers, commonly called “smart speakers,” arguably represent the most important new audio distribution platform since the smartphone.
IDC has released a new report about smart home technology in Europe. According to the analysis, the European smart home market grew by 23.9%, with 21.3 million units shipped in the first quarter of 2019. Continue Reading
Samsung has launched the Bixby Marketplace in support of its voice assistant platform. The skill marketplace, available in the United States and in Korea, offers Bixby customers access to “capsules” designed to improve their usage of the voice AI. Continue Reading
Fifty-three million American adults own smart speakers. Because some people and households own multiple speakers, that adds up to 118.5-million devices — a 78% increase in overall device ownership year-over-year. This, and much other data, come from the NPR/Edison Research Smart Audio Report, released in a webinar today. Continue Reading
Loup Ventures has published its latest update to its forecast of smart speaker sales. The revised predictions anticipate that 2019 will see 72 million unit sales, up from 52 million sales in 2018. The company is adding Chinese manufacturers to its global model, reflecting the growing presence those brands are having on international sales. Continue Reading
Adobe Digital Insights conducted a survey about voice services. The participants shared details on how and when they used voice technology. About three-quarters (73%) of smart speaker owners use the devices daily. Music, weather, and silly questions were the most frequent use cases for the AI assistants. Continue Reading
Amazon announced a refresh of its smart speaker designed specifically for children. The Echo Dot Kids Edition was first released last April. Despite the new developments, Amazon and its Alexa voice assistant has raised some kid-focused privacy concerns. Continue Reading
The global smart speaker market is seeing more and more action in China. Domestic technology brand Xiaomi has been quickly growing its market share, alongside local rivals Alibaba and Baidu. Continue Reading
Facebook is moving full steam ahead with its Portal video chat devices. During a Vox Media event, Facebook exec Andrew Bosworth mentioned that Portal would be bringing additional form factors to market this fall. Continue Reading
Sonos and Ikea have expanded their smart speaker collaboration. After introducing two products this spring, Ikea has unveiled a dedicated wireless controller for its pair of upcoming Sonos-compatible speakers called the Symfonisk Sound Remote. Continue Reading
Samsung is delaying its first entry into the smart speaker market yet again. Despite an unveiling back in August 2018, the release date for the Samsung Galaxy Home has been postponed a few times. The delays could be due to the scope of Samsung’s smart home and Internet of Things strategy. Continue Reading
Amazon released a new version of its display smart speaker as well as new privacy updates to its Alexa voice assistant. On the hardware side, the company launched the Echo Show 5. Amazon Alexa has also received new updates to reflect other privacy concerns. Continue Reading
Smart speakers present a potentially valuable new option for music services to reach listeners. The space poses a particular interest for tech firms operating in both hardware and software, since they can create brand loyalty within audiences who will buy their devices and then continue to provide revenue as subscription listeners. Continue Reading