New Smart Audio Report Spring 2018 from NPR and Edison Research Now Available

With more than 43 million smart speaker owners in the U.S., adoption is going mainstream, according to the latest research from The Smart Audio Report, Spring 2018, a recurring study from NPR and Edison Research. The new data from the research confirms that new smart speaker owners are emerging as a distinct audience in terms of user profile, behavior and media habits, while the first movers in the space remain highly engaged with their devices. 
 
According to the new research from The Smart Audio Report, for first adopters, the smart speaker is now the #1 way they listen to audio. As expected, first adopters demonstrate more advanced smart speaker use, with 24% using smart speakers to control home lighting, thermostat or appliances. 38% of newer, early mainstream users say they purchased the device hoping to reduce screen time.
 
For the first time, the Spring 2018 release also offers a preview into the realities of mainstream use and reveals opportunities across industries – from marketing and publishing to tech and services. Among the key findings the research reveals that e​​​​​​arly mainstream users - now owning a smart speaker for more than one year - are quickly relying on the technology for a wider range of daily activities – 37% look up recipes, 34% make calls and 33% add items to their shopping lists.

Among all smart speaker owners, 81% are open to skills and features created by brands on smart speakers. Other preferred formats for audio advertisements include host-read ads on podcasts, product endorsements and sponsor/underwriter announcements during public radio. The Spring 2018 Report also reveals opportunities across industries – from publishing and tech to products and services. 
 
The Smart Audio Report is a public resource on trends in smart speaker ownership and voice assistant user behavior, designed to help inform product design, content and sponsorship for NPR, and people across sectors whose work is impacted by the rise of voice activated devices. NPR was the default Flash Briefing provider on Amazon Alexa devices at launch in 2014, and on Google Home, Microsoft Cortana and Apple HomePod devices. Since its first release in 2017, the Report has revealed trends in smart speaker adoption and usage, and insight into how voice technology is shaping consumer attitudes and behaviors.
 
In the last year, Apple's HomePod joined Amazon Alexa products, Google Home, Microsoft Cortana and many other speakers in the voice assistant market, which has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Following a strong holiday sales season, one in six Americans now owns a voice-activated smart speaker, up 198% from January 2017, according to The Smart Audio Report.

The new Smart Audio Report: Spring 2018 can now be downloaded here.
npr.org | www.edisonresearch.com