In the second half of 2017, if you want to ask what smart device is the most popular, it must be smart speakers. This year, foreign Microsoft, Apple, domestic Tencent, Baidu, Ali, Xiaomi, and iFLYTEK are all busy preparing for voice platforms and smart devices. There is a lot of discussion about the current smart speaker industry. Controversy or Buy email list disappointment, Amazon Echo is really a success, have you seen the whole picture?
Take history as a mirror to know the rise and fall. This article traces back to the depths of the business war history, analyzes the business history of the Echo speaker since its release, and deduces the full picture of Amazon's voice strategy.
1. Overview: Echo's development history and 3D interpretation
The first Echo speakers were released in November 2014. Since then, Echo has been the benchmark and leader in the industry.
From the data point of view, the Echo's performance is very impressive.
In terms of sales volume, Echo shipped 2.5 million units in 2015 and surged to 5.2 million units in 2016. (Data source: CIRP)
At the skill level, since the Amazon skill platform opened to the public in June 2015, it reached 1,000 in June 2016 and 15,000 in June 2017. (Data source: Bi Intelligence)
In terms of competition, Google announced in May 2016 that it will ship in November, grabbing 10% of the overall smart speaker market in the Q4 quarter, while Amazon is still the dominant player, accounting for 88%. (Data source: Strategy Analytics)