Smart speakers remain the fastest-growing CE segment in the world, Canalys reports-- global shipments total 9 million in Q1 2018, an impressive 210% Y-o-Y increase with, in a first, Google taking the top spot.
Google Home and Home Mini shipments reach 3.2m in the quarter. In comparison, 2nd placing Amazon Echo device shipments clock at 2.5m. The behind such growth for the search giant comes through new markets, such as India, where the companies looks into new go-to-market strategies by teaming up with service providers.
“Google has several advantages over Amazon that have helped it move ahead,” the analyst says. “But its biggest advantage is in the channel. Operators and retailers tend to prioritise Google’s speakers over those from Amazon, as Amazon is in the tricky position of being a direct competitor. But Amazon is fighting back hard, and the sheer quantity of Alexa Skills and smart home integrations will be tough for any competitor to match.”
In 3rd place is a Chinese vendor-- Alibaba, with 1.1m shipments of Tmall Genie speaker. Alibaba is a powerful presence in its home China, even if it faces competition from Xiaomi, whose Xiao AI speakers are a "distant second" to the Tmall Genie.
