Voice Control Devices Early Audience Behaviours and Adoption

Already a client? Log in to read this report. Become a client or purchase this report.

The 20,000 Foot View:  Connected voice-control devices epitomised by the Amazon Echo have transformed from being mere curiosities of consumer electronic R&D divisions, into becoming positioned as the next hardware paradigm. With impressive growth since its November 2014 release via Amazon Prime’s US customer base, the Echo and subsequent competing voice control device releases by Google and Apple are competing for influence in the home and to shape how people experience digital content there. Understanding the nuances of voice’s early-adopter audience has therefore become crucial for rights-holders, creators and advertisers, as it is this audience that will define the direction of the technology and decide which content services ultimately flourish in the home.

Key Findings

       of consumers have an Amazon Echo Voice Device in their home        of consumers use voice control on home devices or smartphones every day
• At        and        the US and UK have the highest household penetration of voice control devices
• Voice technology is most widely adopted by        year olds at        penetration
• Music subscribers at        significantly over index for Amazon Echo home ownership
• Just        of Netflix and YouTube viewers have a voice control device in their house 
• Voice control adoption has thus far been on a similar trajectory as the world wide web, social media and the smartphone, evolving through its early adopter phase
• Of        million Apple Music subscribers, around        million have a voice control device in their homes

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Amazon, Apple, Deezer, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Sonos, Spotify, Twitter, YouTube