Report Summary
Providing the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and analysis of the UK Voice Control market, including the behaviours, preferences and habits of the consumer.
Voice command usage saw a surge in the last year, with COVID-19 lockdowns seeing people spend more time trying out voice command features. This is especially the case with Generation X and Baby Boomers, who were most likely to say they did not see the benefit last year. 35% of Gen Xers used voice commands in the three months to February 2021, compared with 23% in January 2020. There was an overall growth to 37% across all age groups, compared with 28% in 2020.
While the increased time at home has encouraged usage, the pandemic is not likely to be a major factor in the overall rise as the market was already growing pre-pandemic. While only 15% of consumers had a voice controlled speaker in their home in 2019, this reached 24% in January 2020 and 31% in February 2021. 25% of those who have used voice commands have used it to make a call or send a message, encouraging integration with mobile platforms.
Currently the biggest threat to the market is concerns over voice assistants becoming more predictive. Proactively offering information without being prompted could make them more efficient, but they could also prove more intrusive. Opt-in settings or specific voice profiles could be utilised to make these options more user friendly.
Read on to discover more details or take a look at all of our UK Electrical Goods market research.
Quickly understand
- The short-, medium and long-term impact of COVID-19 on how many people are buying devices with voice assistants and how their usage of voice control has changed.
- Which devices consumers use for voice commands.
- Activities consumers use voice commands for.
- Brands of voice-controlled smart speakers consumers own.
- How comfortable or uncomfortable consumers are with specific features of voice assistants.
Covered in this report
Brands: Amazon (Amazon Echo, Echo Auto, Echo Dot, Alexa), Google (Google Home, Google Nest), Apple (Apple HomePod, Siri, Apple CarPlay), Microsoft (Cortana).
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
Written by Zach Emmanuel, a leading analyst in the Technology sector, his extensive knowledge delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
With a section of consumers expected to work from home permanently post-COVID-19, there is the opportunity to market smart displays as the ideal addition to a home office space. Voice-controlled speaker owners have already shown an interest in using these devices for working or studying and the ability to get access to information at a glance or voice command will only help their productivity.
Zach Emmanuel
Consumer Technology Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- COVID-19: market context
- Economic and other assumptions
- Products covered in this Report
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Impact of COVID-19 on voice control
- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on voice control, 9 April 2021
- The market
- Post-COVID-19 working practices to accelerate the voice control market in long term
- Apple HomePod Mini could help company to grow its market share for voice controlled speakers
- Figure 2: Brand of voice controlled speaker in the household, January 2020-February 2021
- Alexa development gives preview of predictive voice control
- Companies and brands
- Apple adds HomePod Mini to voice-controlled speaker line-up
- Fitbit adds Google Assistant support to Versa 3 and Sense smartwatches
- Amazon launches Echo Auto to rival Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Google and Amazon bring hands-free control to smartphone voice assistants
- The consumer
- COVID-19 lockdowns provided an initial boost to voice-controlled speaker ownership
- Figure 3: Ownership of a voice controlled speaker in the household, January 2019-February 2021
- The lockdowns have contributed to higher usage of voice commands
- Figure 4: Usage of voice commands in the previous three months, January 2019-February 2021
- Preference for voice-controlled speakers continues among older generations
- Figure 5: Technology device used for voice control, January 2020-February 2021
- Using speaker for voice calls could be a factor in choosing between network providers
- Figure 6: Activities performed using voice commands, February 2021
- Three in ten voice control users have used it more since COVID-19
- Figure 7: Changes to usage of voice control since COVID-19, February 2021
- Over four in ten voice control users prefer a speaker with a screen
- Figure 8: Attitudes towards smart displays, privacy and voice assistant brands, February 2021
- Over six in 10 voice command users comfortable with voice profiles
- Over a third of voice command users comfortable with voice-based purchases
- Figure 9: Comfort and discomfort with features of voice control, February 2021
- Figure 10: Comfort and discomfort with features of voice control for voice command users, February 2021
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Issues and Insights
- How COVID-19 is shaping the voice control market
- Lockdowns encouraged older consumers to try voice control
- Growth in voice-controlled speaker ownership returns to pre-COVID-19 rate after initial boost
- Smart displays as a home office accessory
- Voice calling with speakers should be given greater priority by network providers
- How COVID-19 is shaping the voice control market
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The Market – Key Takeaways
- Dual-parent families will be a key demographic in long-term success of the voice control market
- More affordable HomePod Mini could help Apple grow market share
- Microsoft changes focus of Cortana
- Amazon begins testing of conversational and predictive Alexa
- Dual-parent families will be a key demographic in long-term success of the voice control market
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Market Drivers
- Impact of COVID-19 on voice control
- Figure 11: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on voice control, 9 April 2021
- Post-COVID-19 working practices to accelerate voice control market in long term
- Families to play an important role in long-term success of voice control market
- Apple HomePod Mini could help company grow its market share
- Standard HomePod price likely to have restricted purchases
- The more affordable HomePod Mini can appeal to current iPhone owners
- Figure 12: Brand of voice controlled speaker owned, January 2020-February 2021
- Microsoft gives Cortana a greater productivity focus
- Microsoft buys Nuance Communications
- Alexa development gives preview of predictive voice control
- Role of predictions in voice control
- Google partners with Tobii Dynavox to offer Google Assistant to disabled people
- Impact of COVID-19 on voice control
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Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
- Update to Siri interface with iOS 14 expected to drive further engagement
- Older Millennials are likely to be the most suitable age group for Echo Auto
- Oculus Quest VR headsets now support voice control
- Update to Siri interface with iOS 14 expected to drive further engagement
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Apple adds HomePod Mini to voice-controlled speaker line-up
- Fitbit adds Google Assistant support to Versa 3 and Sense smartwatches
- Fitbit’s market share unlikely to change despite voice assistant options
- Oculus brings voice control to Quest VR headsets
- The ability to quickly record gameplay is best feature of VR voice commands
- Group calling now available on Echo devices
- iOS 14 update provides more seamless Siri integration
- Amazon launches Echo Auto to rival Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Google and Amazon bring hands free control to smartphone voice assistants
- Apple adds HomePod Mini to voice-controlled speaker line-up
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The Consumer – Key Takeaways
- COVID-19 lockdowns drive interest in voice commands for Generation X and Baby Boomers
- Alexa calling could influence customer choice of mobile network provider
- Predictive functionality of voice assistants could work alongside voice profiles
- COVID-19 lockdowns drive interest in voice commands for Generation X and Baby Boomers
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Impact of COVID-19 on Consumer Behaviour
- COVID-19 lockdowns provided initial boost to voice-controlled speaker ownership
- Amazon Echo’s pricing means consumers with less disposable income can still buy
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- Figure 13: Ownership of a voice controlled speaker in the household, January 2019-February 2021
- The lockdowns also contributed to higher usage of voice commands
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- Figure 14: Usage of voice commands in previous three months, January 2019-February 2021
- Well over a third of families who use voice commands have done it more since COVID-19
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- Figure 15: Changes to usage of voice control since COVID-19, February 2021
- COVID-19 lockdowns provided initial boost to voice-controlled speaker ownership
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Devices and Activities for Voice Commands
- Preference for voice-controlled speakers continues among older generations
- Generation Z are expected to stay within Apple’s ecosystem
- Figure 16: Technology devices used for voice control, January 2020-February 2021
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- Figure 17: Influence of voice assistant in technology purchase, February 2021
- Using speaker for voice calls could be a factor in choosing between network providers
- Alexa calling could give network providers an edge
- Figure 18: Activities performed using voice commands, February 2021
- Preference for voice-controlled speakers continues among older generations
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Attitudes towards Voice Commands
- Over six in 10 voice command users comfortable with voice profiles
- Over a third of voice command users comfortable with voice-based purchases
- Figure 19: Comfort and discomfort with features of voice control, February 2021
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- Figure 20: Comfort and discomfort with features of voice control for voice commands users, February 2021
- Clear potential for further growth in ownership of voice-controlled speakers
- Over four in ten users of voice commands prefer a speaker with a screen
- Role of smart displays in studying or working at home
- Figure 21: Attitudes towards smart displays and privacy, February 2021
- Over six in 10 voice command users comfortable with voice profiles
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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