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Amazon's Alexa App Climbed to #1 on the iOS App Store's Top Free Chart After Christmas

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After presents were unwrapped across the world on Christmas morning, Amazon's Alexa app [Direct Link] earned the #1 spot on the iOS App Store's Top Free chart, suggesting Echo and other Alexa devices were very popular this holiday season (via TechCrunch).

This marks the first time the Alexa app gained a #1 spot on Apple's App Store, and it remained there for over a day. Currently, Alexa sits at #2 on the Top Free chart in the App Store, having lost the top spot today to YouTube.

amazon-alexa-app-increase.jpg

Amazon yesterday said that the Echo Dot was the #1 selling Amazon Device this holiday season, as well as being "the best-selling product from any manufacturer in any category across all of Amazon," with millions of Echo Dots sold. With so many Echo products being purchased for Christmas and other holiday celebrations, users were led to download the Amazon Alexa app so they can set up their speaker, control it, integrate with other smart home products, and more.

Data gathered from Sensor Tower's App Store analytics shows the Alexa app climbing the Top Free United States iOS App Store charts in the days leading up to Christmas and then peaking at #1 on December 25 and December 26. On Christmas day, the Alexa app gained prominence on the Top Free App Store charts in other countries as well, including Great Britain (rising to #2), Germany (#5), and Austria (#5).

sensor-tower-amazon-alexa.jpg
Amazon Alexa iOS app data via Sensor Tower​


As Amazon's Alexa devices continue to dominate the smart speaker market, Apple has plans to release its own music-focused smart speaker device -- the HomePod -- in early 2018. HomePod will be controlled mainly through the user's voice using Siri, and include access to Apple Music and other expected smart speaker functionalities, like asking about the weather, traffic, setting reminders, timers, and more.

Article Link: Amazon's Alexa App Climbed to #1 on the iOS App Store's Top Free Chart After Christmas
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/12/27/amazon-alexa-top-app-store/
Apple is taking too long to get the HomePod to market. They're totally missing the ship that is currently sailing for these home assistants. Especially at the ridiculous $349 price. People can outfit every room in their house with Amazon Echo Dots or Google Home Mini devices for the price of one HomePod.
 
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We bought 3 (echo and 2 echo dots) and love them. I had a relative say in disbelief that they couldn’t believe I’d buy a non Apple product. I told them I’d have loved to buy an Apple echo device but there isn’t one. I had actually put off buying these waiting for the HomePod announcement and even waiting for the initial reviews once it shipped. After Apple pushed back the December shipping date I just went ahead and bought the echo. I’d love to throw this money at Apple but I can’t.
 
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Reactions: Wilburx3, robust, Aston441 and 4 others
It’s not just the device that is key here. It’s the services that go with the device over time.

People hate change and these devices wj Drive other hardware and service subscriptions in the future.

Apple not having the home out was a large miss for the long run. People buying into these eco systems won’t easily change - the old first mover advantage.

Having these apps available across platforms now helps reinforce that.
 
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They basically gave these things away at $20. Putting an always-on mic in your house that records all your queries, shopping habits, media preferences, etc is the next “google frontier” for these corporations.

Still not convinced they are going to stay plugged in though. I can’t imagine the vast majority of people have any use for these things.
 
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I'm still loving my Apple HiFi from 2006. I will purchase the HomePod when available but I absolutely have no interest in yelling Siri commands at an inanimate object. If the HomePod has best in class audio fidelity and networking, I'll purchase a few more.
 
I bought one. For the first time really, went with something outside of Apple. We'll see if it works out. Right now all I am using it for is to turn a light on and off, happy with it.
 
The HomePod must have been a total design disaster for them to postpone it like this.

What a missed holiday sales opportunity.
 
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vksid said:
Exactly, I'm waiting for redesigned iOS App.
Click to expand...

BuffaloTF said:
For what tho? You use it like... once to set it up. Then sporadically to add smart home devices. It functions, and that’s all you need.
Click to expand...

Yeh, this is the comment that now is in the first page of every thread about anything non-Apple. Wait away dude... why would you ever care if the app is ever "redesigned for the X". As BuffaloTF said, its basically a settings app. You can technically use it like an Echo, but not sure I would ever see the point in that.

Centris 650 said:
We bought 3 (echo and 2 echo dots) and love them. I had a relative say in disbelief that they couldn’t believe I’d buy a non Apple product. I told them I’d have loved to buy an Apple echo device but there isn’t one. I had actually put off buying these waiting for the HomePod announcement and even waiting for the initial reviews once it shipped. After Apple pushed back the December shipping date I just went ahead and bought the echo. I’d love to throw this money at Apple but I can’t.
Click to expand...

You made the right call, even if Apple's products were available. Apple's walled garden mindset is going to work against it in this market, not to mention their over pricing. What makes Echo work so well is the vast set of skills it has, and the multiple years head start. With Apple you are going to get Siri. It will work well with the Apple stuff I'm sure, but as soon as you add anything non-Apple its going to get frustrating. For example, I've now got quite a few home automation items in play from various vendors. The one last Apple thing in use is Apple TV. I replaced my old Harmony One remote with a new Harmony Hub and Elite for Christmas. I can connect it to my Smartthings Hub, Hue Lights, and control things with the Echo. All I can do with Apple TV is turn it on and off... Roku or Fire TV I can go directly to channels/apps, but not Apple TV. With that, I have to use their stuff. So with the new Apple Speaker, it will control that, but then not control any of the other times my Harmony controls. This type of thing is always going to be way better with Amazon Echo or Google Home. Apple continues to isolate themselves.
 
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Since Apple is so late to the party they should have least prepared a „Siri Store“ to let devs prepare.

I LOVE the skills „store“ for my Echo which was basically free on top of my Phillips Hue lights on Black Friday
 
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convergent said:
Yeh, this is the comment that now is in the first page of every thread about anything non-Apple. Wait away dude... why would you ever care if the app is ever "redesigned for the X". As BuffaloTF said, its basically a settings app. You can technically use it like an Echo, but not sure I would ever see the point in that.



You made the right call, even if Apple's products were available. Apple's walled garden mindset is going to work against it in this market, not to mention their over pricing. What makes Echo work so well is the vast set of skills it has, and the multiple years head start. With Apple you are going to get Siri. It will work well with the Apple stuff I'm sure, but as soon as you add anything non-Apple its going to get frustrating. For example, I've now got quite a few home automation items in play from various vendors. The one last Apple thing in use is Apple TV. I replaced my old Harmony One remote with a new Harmony Hub and Elite for Christmas. I can connect it to my Smartthings Hub, Hue Lights, and control things with the Echo. All I can do with Apple TV is turn it on and off... Roku or Fire TV I can go directly to channels/apps, but not Apple TV. With that, I have to use their stuff. So with the new Apple Speaker, it will control that, but then not control any of the other times my Harmony controls. This type of thing is always going to be way better with Amazon Echo or Google Home. Apple continues to isolate themselves.
Click to expand...

I tried to explain this to an Apple user a while back. They just didn’t get it. This market has pretty much been owned by Amazon and Exho. Even Google is behind. Doesn’t mean Apple can’t catch up. But Apple’s mindset isn’t geared towards wanting to be a major player in this type of market. Walled gardens will suffer here. Openness is a must.
 
If Apple improve Siri they will do really well in this market. I think Apple know that Siri isn’t on par with others like Alexa and Google Home, it could be why they delayed the Homepod in order to improve it ready for release in “early 2018”
 
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I actually went for a $79 Google Home over Christmas and got my parents the $29 Home Mini. Amazon and Google to a lesser extent own this market. I know some here have argued that Apple will overtake those two quickly with HomePod because of the brand and Siri integration, but I’m not seeing it. Personally I think at $349 the HomePod is going to flop. Maybe if they introduce a Mini under $100 they will get some traction in the market, but by then everyone will have an Amazon or Google device.
 
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Apple’s Siri-powered speaker is not available yet, google is secretly recording people.... so I guess getting 5 new amazon echos for Christmas was not a bad idea.

This morning I ask Alexa if she was sharing my recordings with the NSA, she did nos responded.... should I be concerned?
 
MH01 said:
By the time Apple ships homepod it will be too late and way too expensive.
Click to expand...

Apple have said before they don’t aim to be the first they aim to be the best, they have done it before and could do so again, you don’t always have to race or win the race.
 
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