Voice Assistants Technology

Voice Assistants

Adoption, Usage And Potential Of Voice Assistants

• Voice assistants have become an integral part of our everyday lives. Almost everyone has heard of Siri, Alexa and Co. Ads on different channels from online to print to TV give the impression that the digital assistants have arrived everywhere, especially at home.

• But how widespread are voice assistants really and what are they used for?

• There are numerous studies that try to answer these questions. In this presentation we have summarized the most important outcomes for you

ADOPTION, USAGE AND POTENTIAL OF VOICE ASSISTANTS

• Voice assistants on the rise

• It’s interesting to see how many people in Germany use digital voice assistants. The study by GMX and WEB.DE from 2018 assumes that every fifth internet user already has a digital voice assistant in use.

• Google Assistant (29%) and Apple’s Siri (22%) are currently the most widespread ones. Cortana by Microsoft (14%) and Alexa by Amazon (12%) are used significantly less often (BVDW – 2017).

ADOPTION, USAGE AND POTENTIAL OF VOICE ASSISTANTS

• Voice assistants on the rise (continued)

• When looking at the distribution of voice assistants, smart speakers are worth to have a closer look at. Apart from smartphones, voice assistants can be used on other devices, such as smart speakers, which are set up at home or in the office.

• Currently, most users still use their smartphone (36%). However, with 23% (smart speakers) and 13 percent (tablet / PC / notebook), other devices are not insignificant when it comes to the usage of voice assistants, so the results of GMX and WEB.DE.

ADOPTION, USAGE AND POTENTIAL OF VOICE ASSISTANTS

• Potentials of voice assistants

• Furthermore, it is interesting to look at the usage habits. According to the study by GMX and WEB.DE, voice assistants are used primarily for playing music (52%) or reading news aloud (42%). These applications are followed by web search (29%) and smart home functionalities (26%).

• The study by BVDW comes to the conclusion that above all, the quick access to information and the use of the search engine offers users the most value. Nearly 40% of the respondents say that these functions are essential to them. 

ADOPTION, USAGE AND POTENTIAL OF VOICE ASSISTANTS

• Obstacles of voice assistants

• Just as important is why some users don’t use voice assistants yet. The Bitkom study concludes that the main reasons for this are the following three: 1) 58% are worried about their data. 2) 57 percent are afraid that their conversations are bugged. 3) 56% say they do not need a voice assistant.

• The poll made by next Media.Hamburg in 2018 also identifies uncertainty as a key factor for hindering the increased use of voice assistants. 3/4 said they feel insecure when giving their data to a voice assistant. The study by BVDW comes to a similar conclusion: 29% of respondents find it strange to talk to a device.

ADOPTION, USAGE AND POTENTIAL OF VOICE ASSISTANTS

• Potentials and obstacles of voice assistants

• In addition, the use of digital assistants still seems to be a no-go in public for many. Respondents say they find it rude or annoying to use the assistant in the presence of other people. No wonder, that 82% of the participants say that they use voice assistants, mainly at home. (GMX and WEB.DE – 2018)

• Nevertheless, the importance of smart speakers will increase in the future. At least, forecasts predict a significant increase in sales. By 2024, the annual sales for smart speakers will increase to an amount of $ 30 billion. 10% of it will be generated in Germany (Strategy Analytics – 2018). Increased sales will result in increased usage too.