Smart speakers graduated from gimmick to permanent household fixture, as global shipments jumped nearly 200 per cent year-on-year in Q3, Strategy Analytics announced.

The research company said smart speaker shipments soared from 7.7 million units in Q3 2017 to 22.7 million in the recent quarter and predicted full year shipments would hit nearly 90 million. It added the number of smart speakers in use globally is expected to surpass 100 million this month and break the 125 million mark by the close of the year.

David Mercer, VP at Strategy Analytics, highlighted the significance of the latter figure, noting “the market has reached this key milestone faster than pretty much any other consumer technology device to have launched over the past decade”.

The US maintained its position as the number one smart speaker market, but the research company noted substantial growth in China propelled it to the number two position.

Vendor mix
Indeed, while Amazon and Google remained dominant on the world stage (see chart, below, click to enlarge), China-based vendors Alibaba, Baidu and Xiaomi are rapidly narrowing their lead and are now locked in a three-way competition for leadership in the country.

Strategy Analytics’ assessment of the Chinese market is broadly in line with analysis from Canalys, which last week noted Baidu is challenging its more-established domestic rivals thanks to the launch of new range of mass-market devices during Q2.