In a latest research findings released this week by Juniper Research, it predicted that usage of voice assistants in smart homes in China will reach 100 million by 2024 from just four million in 2019.
In a statement, Juniper research attributed the increase to the low cost of smart speakers. It also pointed out that Chinese manufacturers such as iFlytek, Baidu and Huawei are increasingly developing more advanced voice assistants.
“Chinese influence will be limited to the domestic market however, given security concerns around Huawei in the US,” the statement said. “The sensitive role of voice assistants mean they will become a centrepiece of concerns if launched in Western markets – limiting their overall potential.”
The new research entitled Smart Homes: Strategic Opportunities, Business Models & Competitive Landscape 2019-2024, found that voice assistants are an increasingly crucial element in the smart home; providing interoperability platforms that enable seamless control of the whole smart home.
Meanwhile, the new research found that Amazon leads the voice assistants market, thanks to advanced hub features included in the Echo Plus, heavy investment from its Alexa Fund, and Alexa Skills access; enabling a vast third-party app ecosystem.
Juniper Research said recent high-profile acquisitions such as Blink, Ring and eero will further bolster its ability to innovate across the smart home.
On the other hand, Google will capitalise on its acquisition of Nest, adding Assistant in a new range of devices such as the Google Nest Hub Max; transforming its proposition in the smart home market.
“We believe that Google’s investment in AI will enable it to add more intelligent and autonomous functions; providing a compelling differentiator. It should bolster this with heavy investment in partnerships to further build out its ecosystem,” the Juniper statement said.
