Global smart speaker shipments rise 197% in Q3 2018

The US holds the biggest market share followed by China which is growing fast.

The total number of smart speakers shipped worldwide this third quarter of 2018 has already reached 22.7 million units, a record figure according to market intelligence provider Strategy Analytics. That is said to be a 197 percent growth from the same period last year. Strategy Analytics expects smart speakers in use to exceed 125 million units by the end of 2018.

The US is said to remain the biggest market for smart speakers with Amazon and Google, pioneers of the top ubiquitous voice assistants Alexa and Google Assistant, the leading market players in terms of share. The report also says that the second largest smart speaker market, China, is catching up fast and is poised for a twelve-fold annual increase in shipments.

Expect growth in the China market to be quick and big indeed as manufacturers of smart speakers release more units and make sure that their products follow today's hottest trends. Wireless smart speakers, for instance, are getting the latest trendy features, including big LCDs, robotic AI and more.

China smart speakers are also adopting their own Chinese AI assistant instead of Alexa and Google Assistant. This has been a noticeable trend since CES 2018 not just in speakers but in other voice-enabled electronics from the big brands as well.

New trends and findings tell that smart speakers will be popular for long. Voice-enabled speakers are becoming a permanent fixture in many homes, per Strategy Analytics. Importers can expect demand to keep spiraling up, and source and offer more of these innovative speakers.