Fifty-three million U.S. Adults now own at least one Smart Speaker
By Edison Research
Smart Speakers See 78% Increase Year Over Year: Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research at CES
Multi-Device Households Drive Growth
The latest survey from NPR and Edison Research, conducted after the December 2018 holidays, confirms continued increases in the U.S. voice-activated smart speaker market: 53M people A18+ in the U.S. (21% of the population) now own at least one smart speaker, and the total number of devices in homes has increased 78% year-over-year. This new data from The Smart Audio Report, a recurring study launched in 2017, was presented January 7 during the CTA Research Summit at CES 2019 in Las Vegas and is available for download here.
According to the nationally-representative telephone survey of 1,000+persons 18+, the average smart speaker household now features 2.3 devices, up from an average 1.7 devices per household at this time last year.
Other key findings from The Smart Audio Report Winter 2018 ownership survey include:
52% of all smart speaker owners report using their device daily
8% of people in the U.S. got a smart speaker during the 2018 holiday season, between Black Friday and the end of December 2018
14M people in the U.S. got their first smart speaker device in 2018
“The growth in ownership, particularly the increase in devices per household, really speaks to the tremendous utility of voice assistant technology,” said Tom Webster, Sr. VP at Edison Research. “While these devices initially served as audio appliances, they are now becoming integrated into the fabric of everyday life for tens of millions of Americans.”
The Smart Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research, which debuted in June 2017, is a recurring study on trends in smart speaker ownership and user behavior. A full archive of research from the Report is available at www.npr.org/smartaudio. NPR is a default news source on all major smart speakers, including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri and Microsoft Cortana-enabled devices.
Methodology Interviews conducted via telephone from December 26-30, 2018 among a sample of 1,002respondents. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.7% at the 95% confidence level. Six-hundred interviews were obtained with respondents on their cell phones, and 33 interviews were completed in Spanish. Data are weighted to represent the U.S. population ages 18 and older.
About NPR NPR’s rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connect with millions of Americans every day—on the air, online, and in person. NPR strives to create a more informed public—one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas, and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners consider public radio an enriching and enlightening companion; they trust NPR as a daily source of unbiased independent news, and inspiring insights on life and the arts. More information at npr.org/aboutnpr and following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Edison Research Edison Research conducts survey research and provides strategic information to a broad array of clients, including Activision, AMC Theatres, Disney, Dolby Laboratories, Google, Oracle, the U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau, Pandora, Samsung, Siemens, Sony, The Gates Foundation, and Univision. Edison is the leading podcast research company in the world and has conducted research on the medium for NPR, Slate, ESPN, PodcastOne, WNYC Studios, and many more companies in the space. Another specialty for Edison is its work for media companies throughout the world, conducting research in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe. Edison is also the leading provider of consumer exit polling and has conducted face-to-face research in almost every imaginable venue. Since 2004, Edison Research has been the sole provider of Election Day data to the National Election Pool, conducting exit polls and collecting precinct vote returns to project and analyze results for every major presidential primary and general election.
