Virtual Assistant (VA) with artificial intelligence (AI) has already become a typical feature of high-end smartphones, and analysts predict the further spread of technology in the communicator market.

According to Strategy Analytics, AI technologies that provide the work of virtual assistants will be present in one of three smartphones implemented in the world in 2017. It is also noted that the built-in virtual assistants are provided in more than 93% of premium smartphones (models with a price of more than 300 US dollars) that are received and will go on sale this year.

It is expected that soon this function will be introduced and among more affordable devices. In many ways, thanks to the VA-service Google Assistant in 2020, more than 80% of smartphones with a wholesale price of more than $ 100 will be equipped with a virtual assistant, experts say..

The leader in the distribution of smartphones experts call the virtual assistant Google Assistant, but note that the gap between the nearest competitor Apple Siri is small. The shares of the two most popular VA-platforms in 2017, analysts estimate at 45.9% and 41.1% respectively.

Further in the ranking follow virtual assistants Samsung and Baidu with indicators of 12.7% and 13% respectively. Experts explained that the total VA distribution rate in the communicator market exceeds 100%, because in some smartphones several virtual assistants are simultaneously used, both in the Samsung Galaxy S8 model, where Bixby and Google Assistant are installed.

Experts believe that Google's position in the coming years will be strengthened. This is due to the fact that the voice assistant Google Assistant will be more widely implemented in the segment of less expensive Android-smartphones. Under forecasts Strategy, in 2022 the share of Google will reach 60.3%, and Apple Siri will decrease to 17%. The presence indicators of Samsung and Baidu are expected at 5% and 22%, while other VA platforms, as in 2017, will occupy only 0.1% of the smartphone market.

The study also notes that today most virtual assistants in smartphones use cloud artificial intelligence, which affects the reaction time. Experts believe that in the future the situation will improve, as smartphones will be equipped with built-in computing facilities that support the operation of the AI ??system.

Previously, Counterpoint analysts predicted that in 2020, more than a third of all smartphones shipped to the market will support artificial intelligence and machine learning at the processor level.