Smart Speakers: A Booming Market

Our interaction with electronic devices has changed much over the decades. A big step up was the transition from command-line to graphical user interface, along with keyboards and mice. The next big jump was the touchscreen, which had been around for decades before being popularized on a global scale by Apple’s iPhone in 2007. We now have arrived at a new user interface: voice supported by natural language processing.

Streaming music is the most common audio content consumers listen to, but audiobooks and podcasts continue to be very popular. Speakers have transitioned from passive devices that project audio content, to interactive, connected devices that can operate in concert with other smart devices in the home. However, security and privacy issues continue to be a concern with these devices.

Semico's new report on smart speakers examines voice assistants, smart speaker types and brands, smart home hubs, industry initiatives, privacy and security concerns, the role of smart speakers in the time of COVID-19, device forecast, regional information with a focus on China, smart speaker chips and BOM, wafer demand, and design starts.  

Companies mentioned in the report include:  AISpeech, Alibaba, Allwinner Technology, Amazon,  Amlogic, Apple, Aspinity, Baidu, Cleer, Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, Google, Huawei, Infineon, Josh.ai, Mediatek, Microsoft, NXP, Orbita, Paranoid, Qualcomm, Rockchip, Royole, Salcit Technologies, Samsung, Sonos, Suki, Synaptics, Syntiant, Vesper Technologies Voca.ai and Xiaomi.