The latest estimates suggest that Amazon may have sold more than 7m of its Echo speakers so far globally. Now research firm MusicWatch has published a study gauging the devices’ audience in the US.
“Based on the 15th edition of MusicWatch’s Annual Music Survey we were able to estimate that more than 14 million US consumers reported using an Echo device, including Tap and Dot,” reported the company, with a caveat: “That’s users, not necessarily buyers.”
MusicWatch’s survey of 5,200 Americans also found that 13% of Echo users had listened to Amazon’s Music Unlimited streaming service, either through a trial, a shared account or by paying themselves.
“But we noticed something else that was interesting. There appears to be a halo effect on services that are on the Echo platform,” claimed MusicWatch.
“Usage of iHeartRadio is 64 percent higher among Echo users compared to the total internet population. TuneIn has a nearly 4:1 lift in usage incidence among Echo users. Spotify has a more than 2:1 increase.”
The rise of Echo, Alexa and smart speakers more generally may be a tide that floats all boats, it seems, not just the ones that are moored to these devices.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…