Aug 4, 2017|

JD.com Expands its Lead in China’s Smart Speaker Revolution with Addition of Philips Hue

JD.com’s DingDong has become the first smart speaker in China to enable control of Philips Hue connected lighting system via voice commands, adding the popular line of lighting products to a list of over 100 compatible home appliance brands.

The addition of Philips Hue comes as demand for smart speakers is gaining momentum in China. Research firm Analysys estimates there are already more than 49 million smart home appliance users in the country, and predicts the market for such products will exceed RMB 195 billion by the end of 2019.

Chinese consumers, particularly the generation born after 1990, are using DingDong for everything from shopping and controlling their household devices to entertaining their children with stories and music, and caring for elderly parents.

First launched in May 2015, JD.com’s groundbreaking DingDong Smart Speaker accounts for approximately 80% of China’s fast-growing smart speaker market today. Developed by LingLong Tech, a joint venture between JD.com and iFLYTEK, it’s the hub of millions of smart devices powered by JD.com’s smart service open platform Alpha. In addition to Philips Hue lighting products, DingDong also supports top brands including Midea refrigerators, Enaiter electric rice cookers, and Sharp and Honeywell air purifiers.

“This partnership unlocks voice-activated control of Philips Hue to customers in a market with a vast growth potential,” said Bill Bien, Chief Marketing Officer for Philips Lighting. “By adding DingDong, one of the most popular smart speakers in China to our network, we further strengthen Philips Hue’s position as the world’s leading connected lighting system for the home.”

As DingDong improves through machine learning, and the portfolio of products compatible with DingDong expands, consumers are increasingly seeing the benefits of having a smart home assistant.

“We are experiencing the dawn of China’s smart speaker revolution,” said Dr. Kenny Li, vice president of JD.com, whose portfolio includes overseeing JD Smart products. “In the future, more and more Chinese households will discover the convenience and many benefits of having natural language-powered services in their daily lives.”

Already, smart plugs, automatic curtains, humidifiers, lights and air-conditioning have become favorite DingDong-controlled devices for Chinese customers. Users can also shop, look up weather forecasts, set alarms, arrange calendars, search for information on the Internet, and request laundry or courier services. DingDong can simultaneously pull news from the Internet, or play licensed music from a selection of over 10 million songs at users’ requests, the speaker’s most popular function, according to JD user data.

Dr. Li notes that JD.com’s partners will continue to be central in driving momentum for the smart home market, “Consumers will realize the full potential of having a smart home ecosystem as a growing number of third-party services and content providers come onto our platform.”

“For over 13 years, JD.com’s commitment to users has brought enormous convenience to the lives of China’s growing middle class, earning us trust and a reputation for quality, service and integrity. As JD evolves into a technology-driven company, we are deepening our relationship with China’s consumers, bringing even more convenience directly into Chinese homes.”

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