# Subscribe According to a report by National Public Radio and Edison Research, 8 million Americans own three or more smart speakers, suggesting that they feel the need to always have one within earshot. By thee end of 2021, it is estimated that there will be almost as many voice-activated assistants on the planet as people. It took about 30 years for mobile phones to outnumber humans. Smart speakers may get there in less than half that time. One reason is that Amazon and Google are pushing these devices hard, discounting them so heavily during last year's holiday season that industry observers suspect that the companies lost money on each unit sold. These and other tech corporations have grand ambitions. They want to colonize space. Not interplanetary space. Everyday space: home, office, car. In the near future, everything from your lighting to your air-conditioning to your refrigerator, your coffee maker, and even your toilet could be wired to a system controlled by voice. In around 200 words explain why companies like Amazon and Google, are trying so hard to corner the smart-speaker market