DUBAI
Digital voice assistants are curbing the use of smartphones for home entertainment and online shopping, according to a new survey from Accenture.
The survey of 21,000 people in 19 countries revealed that two-thirds of people who own home digital voice assistants such as the Google Home and the Amazon Echo — spend less time using their smartphones.
Nearly two thirds (64 per cent) said they used their smartphones less for entertainment. Almost as many (58 per cent) used them less for online shopping, and just over half (54 per cent) used them less for general information searches.
“Digital voice assistant devices are challenging smartphones as the central hub for all activities in the home,” said David Sovie, global managing director of Accenture’s High-Tech business. “These low-cost devices deliver valuable and practical benefits and are relatively easy to use, and their rapidly growing popularity is one of the most striking trends in the high-tech industry.”
Accenture’s survey suggested ownership of digital voice assistants would double during the coming year, reaching 39 per cent of the online population in India, 37 per cent in the US, 34 per cent in Brazil, 33 per cent in China, 26 per cent in Germany and 24 per cent in the UK.
