Strategy Analytics: Global smart speaker sales reached 25.9 million units in Q1 2019, a year-on-year increase of 168%

According to a new research report released by Strategy Analytics , sales of smart speakers in China increased by more than 500 % year-on-year in Q1 2019. This drove global smart speaker sales in Q1 to 25.9 million units, a year-on-year increase of 168 % over 2018. Although Amazon and Google still rank first and second respectively, the global market share of Chinese brands is close to that of Amazon and Google. Promotional activities during the Spring Festival drove demand growth in China, and Baidu's Xiaodu smart display at home was particularly popular. Strategy Analytics has now raised its forecast for global shipments for the full year 2019 by 10 % to 147.7 million units.

David Watkins, Director at Strategy Analytics, commented, “For the first time, China has become the world’s largest smart speaker market. This is partly because Q1 is traditionally a strong quarter for demand, but it also marks the arrival of smart speakers as one of the hottest consumer electronics products in China, just as they were in North America and parts of Europe a few years ago. We expect China’s enthusiasm for smart speakers and displays to continue for some time.”

David Mercer, Vice President at Strategy Analytics, added, “Major Chinese technology players like Alibaba, Baidu and Xiaomi view smart speakers as a key strategy, just as Amazon and Google have done in Western markets. Building mass-market voice UI platforms will support the growth of existing and new digital services and unlock significant new revenue opportunities. Currently, the domestic Chinese market is the focus, but these companies will seek growth opportunities elsewhere.”