Apple doubled its smart speaker market share in 2021 thanks to HomePod mini

HomePod mini packaging

Apple shipped an estimated 4 million smart speaker units in the third quarter of 2021, representing 10.2% of the market, according to new data from Strategy Analytics. That's nearly double Apple's 5.9% share of the market in Q3 2020.

Amazon came in first in the smart speaker market with a 26.4% share, while Google came in third with 20.5%. Baidu and Alibaba ranked third and fourth, with Apple coming in fifth in the global rankings.

The HomePod mini itself was one of the top-selling smart speakers in Q3 2021, however. It ranked second behind the Google Nest Mini but ahead of the fourth-generation Amazon Echo Dot, Strategy Analytics said.

Apple launched the HomePod mini in October 2020 as a cheaper alternative to its then-flagship HomePod. In March, Apple discontinued the full-sized HomePod device. Earlier in 2021, Apple added new colors to the lineup.

Unlike its smart home competitors, Apple only has a single smart speaker product — and it doesn't have any with a screen. That could change in the future, with some rumors indicating that Apple is working on an Apple TV device that sport a built-in camera and HomePod speaker, as well as a smart speaker with its own touchscreen display.