Amazon and Google Still Dominating Smart Speaker Market [Chart]

Amazon and Google are still dominating the smart speaker market, despite the release of a new cheaper HomePod mini, reports Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).

CIRP analyzed the US market for smart speakers, including Amazon Echo, Google Nest/Home, and Apple HomePod devices of all models. Since 2017 Amazon has maintained a dominant share of the installed base of devices, with over two-thirds of smart speakers in US homes. Google has about one-quarter, and Apple and Facebook have the remaining small share.

“The installed base of smart speakers grew considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding over 25 million units in the past year,” said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. “Amazon created the marketplace when it released the first Echo almost seven years ago. Two years later Google took meaningful share, but quickly plateaued at around 40% of Amazon’s presence. A few months after Google, Apple introduced its version, and failed to make meaningful inroads, with a single premiumpriced model competing against products that included low-priced entry-level devices.”


“One critical goal for everyone in the industry is to get as many units into as many homes as possible,” said Mike Levin, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. “With multiple devices in a single home, a smart speaker platform can claim that literal real estate as theirs, as barriers to switching get very high. Amazon leads the way with customers with multiple devices. We estimate over 20 million US households have more than one Echo, while about 8 million US households have multiple Google Home units.”

A key selling feature for the Amazon Echo is its wide array of speaker sizes, screen sizes, and colors to fit any location in your home. Apple discontinued the HomePod with the launch of the HomePod mini and still does not offer a smart display.

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[CIRP: Smart Speaker Installed Base (millions)]