According to recent market research projections, the average person spends a decent amount of time talking to inanimate objects.

Voice recognition software like Siri, Cortana and Google Now, coupled with rising demand for voice-based user authentication in financial institutions, healthcare facilities, and government organizations is driving the development of new voice controlled devices.

The number of devices shipped worldwide is expected to grow from 1.51 billion in 2015 to 2.20 billion in 2020. However, while the number of devices will continue to climb over the projected period, our enthusiasm for voice control will top out in 2016. Adoption of this breed of device is expected to be high this year, with the market growing at a cumulative average growth rate of 11.17%. But this growth rate will slowly decline as the technology reaches the point of saturation over the next four years, to average only 7.84% over the full forecast period.

Smartphones will remain the top voice control device through 2020

Smartphones are overwhelmingly the key application segment in the market, followed not-so-closely by car infotainment systems, smartwatches, smart bands, and remotes.

Global voice-controlled devices market segmentation by application 2015-2020

Source: Technavio