Led by Home-Based Devices, Smart Audio to Reach $5.5 Billion by 2020, Says Report

Smart audio hardware revenue will jump from $1.4 billion this year to more than $5.5 billion by 2020, said a Juniper Research report. Amazon Echo and Google Home devices are projected to lead the category, which will also include ear-based wearables such as Bragi’s Dash and Here Active Listening earphones, said Juniper. The home is the primary location for smart audio because consumers aren’t yet willing to talk to machines in public, said Juniper. Also, smartphones provide similar functions through accessories, limiting the need for separate and portable digital assistant devices, it said. A smaller market for hearables offering active noise cancellation and call handling functionality will emerge, but the biggest category with those features will be fitness devices, Juniper said. Fitness trackers can provide biometrics and voice feedback from coaching software, but the audience is limited, it said.