Are Smart Speakers Here to Stay?
Here’s a look at how people are using this new digital assistant and what features are available today
Smart speakers are a fairly new addition to people’s lives. The Amazon Echo, which is one of the main gadgets in this industry, was introduced in 2014. But is this technology going to stick around? Are smart speakers just a fad or are they something long-lasting?
Let’s take a look at smart speakers, how you can use them around your house and the future for this industry.
Let’s take a look at smart speakers, how you can use them around your house and the future for this industry.
How People Use Smart Speakers
People have definitely started adding smart speakers to their homes. About 42 percent of smart speaker owners say they’re essential to their daily lives, while 65 percent wouldn’t want to go back to life without their speaker, according to a report from National Public Media.
Those numbers indicate that smart speakers are an innovation that is helping people at home, not just something that looks great on the table.
The report also states that 7 percent of the U.S. population has a smart speaker, and that the adoption rate is outpacing both smartphones and tables.
People have definitely started adding smart speakers to their homes. About 42 percent of smart speaker owners say they’re essential to their daily lives, while 65 percent wouldn’t want to go back to life without their speaker, according to a report from National Public Media.
Those numbers indicate that smart speakers are an innovation that is helping people at home, not just something that looks great on the table.
The report also states that 7 percent of the U.S. population has a smart speaker, and that the adoption rate is outpacing both smartphones and tables.
“I was one of the earliest Amazon Echo users, having preordered it right away,” says David Berkowitz from New York, who owns multiple smart speakers.
Berkowitz and his family have an original Echo in their living room, an Amazon Tap in the daughter’s bedroom, an Echo Dot in the master bedroom and a Google Home in the dining room. They use the smart speakers for everyday tasks, such as listening to music, adding to the shopping list and checking the weather.
“Any time that I can limit the use of screens, I love it,” he says.
Berkowitz and his family have an original Echo in their living room, an Amazon Tap in the daughter’s bedroom, an Echo Dot in the master bedroom and a Google Home in the dining room. They use the smart speakers for everyday tasks, such as listening to music, adding to the shopping list and checking the weather.
“Any time that I can limit the use of screens, I love it,” he says.
David Erickson, who works for Creative PR in Minnesota, has both an Amazon Echo and a Google Home, and he says he uses both of them all the time. He uses them to tell him the news, set timers while cooking, stream music, remind him of tasks and listen to books.
“I find the smart speakers incredibly practical and useful,” Erickson says.
“I find the smart speakers incredibly practical and useful,” Erickson says.
Smart Speaker Market
It’s true that Amazon and Google have been the main players in the smart speaker game so far, but they aren’t the only companies with smart devices.
Sonos released a range of smart speakers, including the PLAY:1 (pictured here), in early October. One thing that makes these speakers different is that they will be able to support multiple virtual assistants. Right now, Sonos works with Amazon’s Alexa, and in 2018, the company says it will also work with Google’s voice assistant.
It’s true that Amazon and Google have been the main players in the smart speaker game so far, but they aren’t the only companies with smart devices.
Sonos released a range of smart speakers, including the PLAY:1 (pictured here), in early October. One thing that makes these speakers different is that they will be able to support multiple virtual assistants. Right now, Sonos works with Amazon’s Alexa, and in 2018, the company says it will also work with Google’s voice assistant.
In addition to Sonos, Apple has its HomePod, which will likely be your smart speaker of choice if you prefer Siri, but it won’t be available until December.
Meanwhile, Amazon has been updating its Echo family by releasing a second-generation Echo that comes in new colors, such as Oak (shown above), silver and heather gray fabric. These new finishes will be available Oct. 31.
Additionally, Google expanded its smart speaker options when it introduced the Google Mini and Google Max this month.
Other companies, such as Facebook, Microsoft and Samsung, are also planning on releasing smart speakers.
All of this means we can expect a lot more variety on the market. Will that lead to oversaturation and disinterest, or to niche smart speakers that cater to all groups? Only time will tell.
Additionally, Google expanded its smart speaker options when it introduced the Google Mini and Google Max this month.
Other companies, such as Facebook, Microsoft and Samsung, are also planning on releasing smart speakers.
All of this means we can expect a lot more variety on the market. Will that lead to oversaturation and disinterest, or to niche smart speakers that cater to all groups? Only time will tell.
Not everyone is going to drop hundreds of dollars on a smart speaker, and you don’t have to for a quality speaker. For example, you can get an Echo Dot for around $50. This range of options and prices is sure to attract more and more people toward purchasing a smart speaker.
Your turn: What do you use your smart speaker for? What do you wish it could do? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments.
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Your turn: What do you use your smart speaker for? What do you wish it could do? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments.
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Smart speakers play music like traditional speakers, but that’s where the similarities end. A smart speaker can also listen to and react to the sounds around it. This allows you to ask it to play music, get a weather update, do an internet search or perform numerous other tasks just by speaking your request for your smart speaker to hear. Some go a step further and even have built-in video and photo-taking capabilities.
If you’ve ever said, “Hey Siri” or “OK Google” toward your phone to get it to do something, smart speakers use the same concept. However, smart speakers take the idea of a virtual assistant, like Siri, a step further by giving it its own gadget. So, rather than talking to Siri, Google or Alexa through your phone only, you can now talk to them through your smart speaker.
A few of the smart speakers on the market that you may have heard of include Amazon Echo and Google Home.