Xiaomi adds voice calling to its smart speaker

privacy fears connected future

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Chinese electronics company Xiaomi has partnered with communications company Agora to bring voice calling to its Mi AI smart speaker.

Users of the speaker, which is available only in China, will be able to make voice calls using Agora’s cloud-based communications systems, without needing to link their phone service to the smart speaker.

Calling is emerging as a key feature for smart speakers. Amazon and Google both rolled out voice calling on their smart speakers earlier this year. The voice interface that smart speakers use lends itself naturally to voice calling, since people using the devices are talking to the AI assistant, giving commands, and receiving audio feedback and information — it’s just a short step to move from talking to that voice assistant to talking to a friend or family member.

A key part of Amazon’s unveiling and marketing campaign for its Echo Show smart speaker, for instance, was its ability to act as a stationary, voice-activated communication platform. This has also been a key feature that has differentiated Amazon’s Echo speakers, which support Alexa-powered calling, from third-party Alexa-powered speakers, which don’t as of now.

The spread of connected devices is creating anxieties for some consumers, and introducing tools to reinforce social bonds into devices could alleviate those fears.Nearly a quarter of respondents to a recent Mozilla survey stated that they fear losing touch with other people as connected devices continue to take over. Calling features are a way for people to take those connected devices and maintain their relationships with other people, rather than become more isolated from others. Calling features also enable smart speakers to integrate more fully into people’s lives and everyday routines.

BI Intelligence, has put together a Smart Speaker report that analyzes the market potential of the Echo Look, Echo Show, and HomePod. Using exclusive survey data, this report evaluates each device's potential for adoption based on four criteria: awareness, excitement, usefulness, and purchase intent. Finally, the report draws some inferences from our data about the direction the smart speaker market could take from here.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

Amazon's new Echo Show is the big winner — it has mass-market appeal and looks like it will take off. The combination of usefulness and excitement will drive consumers to buy the Echo Show. The Echo Look, though, seems like it will struggle to attract that same level of interest.
Apple’s HomePod looks likely to find a place in the smart speaker market but won’t dominate its space like the iPhone or iPad did.
The smart speaker market will evolve rapidly in the next few years, with more devices featuring screens, a variety of more focused products emerging, and eventually, the voice assistant moving beyond the smart speaker.

In full, the report:

Showcases exclusive survey data on initial consumer reactions to the Echo Look, Echo Show, and HomePod.
Highlights the aims and strategies of major players in the smart speaker market.
Provides analysis on the direction this nascent market will take and the opportunity for companies considering a move into the space.

To get the full report, subscribe to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> Learn More Now

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