Apple has enhanced acoustical technology to attract consumers away from Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home speakers.
Strategy Analytics said consumer appetite for these speakers has surged since first introduced in 2016 by Amazon.
In a research report issued on Monday, Strategy Analytics forecasts more than 12 million to be purchased globally in 2017 with the Echo accounting for 80 percent of the volume. By 2022 more than 164 million will be in use worldwide.
Apple has been rapidly building its HomeKit ecosystem of smart home devices and capabilities in recent months with manufacturers such as Logitech, Lutron, Honeywell and Leviton.
“The introduction on a Siri-powered hub will bolster that effort and encourage more brand-name manufactures to join in,” said Bill Ablondi, director of Strategy Analytics Smart Home Strategies research program.
Amazon’s Echo has a commanding lead currently and Google’s Home Assistant has the potential to dominate the Intelligent Home Speaker market in the long term assuming it can capitalize on its clear strengths in search and machine learning.
“However, a Siri Speaker will change the market dynamics and pull Apple fans away from the others and make HomeKit their smart home platform of choice,” said Joe Branca, principal industry analyst on the Strategy Analytics’ Smart Home team.
