7 Key Predictions For Voice In 2020

Applications of this technology are seen everywhere, so where will it take us in 2020 and beyond? We provide a high-level overview of the potential that voice has and 7 key predictions we think will take off in the coming years. When voice assistants began to emerge in 2011 with the introduction of Siri, no one could have predicted that this novelty would become a driver for tech innovation.

Now nearly eight years later, it’s estimated that every one in six Americans own a smart speaker and eMarketer forecasts that nearly 100 million smartphone users will be using voice assistants in 2020.

Security Will Be A Focus

Speaker verification and ID will also become paramount as part of the voice assistant experience with more security being built around the user. Forty-one percent of voice assistant users are concerned about trust and privacy according to a report from Microsoft.

With news from Google I/O and Amazon’s re: MARS conferences announcing that assistants will essentially be able to plan an entire evening, for example, find local movie times, buy tickets, book a restaurant reservation and schedule an Uber, concerns regarding payments and sensitive information are valid.

Touch Interaction

This year Google showcased what is being called the E Ink screen. This display can show the weather, local traffic information, or calendar events. The push to bring visual and voice capabilities together allow users to further interact with the assistant. CES 2019 continued to prove that voice and visual displays are merging into one seamless experience.

Voice Push Notifications

Now that both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa allow the user to enable spoken notifications for any third-party app that has the compatibility, users can hear notifications rather than read them. We’ve previously discussed the method of using user-centric push notifications as a means to re-engage users with your app, voice technology presents a unique means of distributing push notifications.

These notifications are generally related to calendar appointments or new content from core features. As a way to increase user engagement and retention, push notifications simply remind users of the app and display relevant messaging to the user.

Individualized Experiences

Voice assistants will also continue to offer more individualized experiences as they get better at differentiating between voices. It also includes features such as nicknames, work locations, payment information, and linked accounts such as Google Play, Spotify, and Netflix.

Google Home is able to support up to six user accounts and detect unique voices, which allows Google Home users to customize many features. Users can ask “What’s on my calendar today?” or “tell me about my day?” and the assistant will dictate commute times, weather, and news information for individual users.

Search Behaviors Will Change

Users simply cannot see or touch a voice interface unless it is connected to the Alexa or Google Assistant app. Search behaviors, in turn, will see a big change. Voice search has been a hot topic of discussion. Visibility of voice will undoubtedly be a challenge. This is because the visual interface with voice assistants is missing. In fact, if tech research firm Juniper Research is correct, voice-based ad revenue could reach $19 billion by 2022, thanks in large part to the growth of voice search apps on mobile devices.

Compatibility And Integration

Those who use Alexa will be familiar with the fact that the voice assistant is already integrated into a vast array of products including Samsung’s Family Hub refrigerators. Google has finally caught on and has announced Google Assistant Connect.

In 2020, we will see a greater interest in the development of voice-enabled devices. This will include an increase in mid-level devices: devices that have some assistant functionality but aren’t full-blown smart speakers. The idea behind this technology is for manufacturers to create custom devices that serve specific functions and are integrated with the Assistant.

Streamlined Conversations

Consumers use voice assistants in specific locations, usually while multitasking, and can either be alone or amongst a group of people when using them. Having devices that can decipher these contextual factors make a conversation more convenient and efficient with these devices, but it also shows that developers behind the technology are aiming to provide a more user-centric experience.

Both Google and Amazon recently announced that both assistants will no longer require the use of repeated “wake” words. Previously both assistants were dependent on a wake word (Alexa or Ok, Google) to initiate a new line of conversation.