Voice-activated speakers powered by intelligent assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, are growing faster than the smartphone and tablets at a similar stage. But how are these devices and assistants being used and what is the potential for news? There are very few data available about the usage of news content on these platforms, or on publisher and platform strategies around news.

This report aims to address these gaps by combining in-home research with focus groups, surveys, and interviews to provide a snapshot of current behaviours in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany. We have also interviewed more than 20 publishers, and other experts to understand more about current perceptions and future potential.

This report is focused on a new set of devices – smart speakers – but the technological changes that lie behind them are much more profound, as intelligent assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri, and Samsung Bixby will ultimately sit inside many other devices we rely on in our everyday life, from phones to cars and beyond.