April 23, 2019

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- There will be more US homes with smart speakers than without by the end of next year, according to the latest projections from Strategy Analytics. The report predicts that the 50% threshold will be reached in late 2020, and the US will be the first country in the world to reach this level of smart speaker ownership. The report predicts that by the end of 2023 eight countries will have a majority of smart-speaker owning households. The research also predicts global sales of more than 134 million smart speakers and screens in 2019, rising to 280 million by 2024.

The other countries reaching the 50% threshold in the next four years will be the UK, Ireland, Canada, South Korea, Australia, Germany and France. Widespread availability of apps and services in major languages is a key factor behind the success of smart speakers in these countries. Other markets, where less familiar languages are used, will tend to track behind the leading nations in smart speaker adoption.

David Watkins, Director at Strategy Analytics, commented: “As we approach the point where smart speakers become commonplace, marketers no longer have any choice but to incorporate this technology into their communications strategies. Voice interaction will become way of life for the majority of the population in many major countries, and this represents new opportunities for brands and businesses to create improved customer relationships.”

A complimentary report highlighting the key findings of Strategy Analytics’ recent consumer survey of early smart speaker adopters is available here: https://www.strategyanalytics.com/access-services/devices/connected-home/smart-speakers-and-screens/reports/report-detail/understanding-early-smart-speaker-adopters