“Not since the smartphone has any tech device been adopted as quickly as the smart speaker.."
eMarketer Forecast

Fresh data:

• eMarketer predicts “stronger-than-expected adoption;." a 47.9% annual growth rate, from some 16.0 million now, to 76.5 million by 2020.
• “The number of adult smart speaker users will surpass that of wearable [device] users for the first time this year.."
• Unsurprisingly, early adopters were affluent males. “But the gap is narrowing quickly as the device gains traction among other demographic groups, particularly younger Gen X women with children.."
  Number one? Alexa (Amazon Echo), 40.7 million people in the USA use her at least once a month. That’s 66.6% of all smart speaker users.
• Runner-up: Google Home, predicted to hit 18 million users this year, “a distant second,." though “its share is growing.."
• Not yet widely adopted: Apple’s pricier HomePod.

Is Alexa radio’s friend? Foe? Both! Good News/Bad News: She brings radio back in-home, where clock radios used to be in bedrooms, and kitchen counter TVs displaced AM/FM receivers. But there’s LOTS of audio competition. Amazon Prime members can ask for two million songs, on-demand, no commercials.

Smart stations have “enabled skills;." and really smart stations are selling title sponsorships. To hear an example from one of my client stations, scroll down to “Smart Speakers Are Exploding!." (Not literally)