Strategy Analytics: Google and Amazon ceded smart speaker market share to Chinese rivals in 2019
In 2019, both Amazon and Google ceded smart speaker market share to Chinese rivals, according to a survey published today by Strategy Analytics. The firm reports that of the 146.9 million units sold in the year 2019 a 70% uptick compared with 2018 Amazon Alexa-powered speakers made up 26.2% (roughly 38.5 million units), a dip from 33.7% (49.5 million) in 2018. For their part, Google Assistant smart speakers nabbed a 20.3% share (29.8 million), down from 25.9% (38 million) the year prior.
On the other hand, Baidu, Alibaba, and Xiaomi all increased their share of the smart speaker market in 2019, while Apple retained its sixth-place position with 4.7% (6.9 million). Strategy Analytics vice president David Mercer attributed the shift to weak demand for Amazon and Google speakers in North America and Europe as buyers “invest[ed] in other brands.”
