Smart Speaker Market Splits Into Two: Budget Sub-$50, Premium Above $200

The smart speaker market has stratified into distinct segments: budget devices below $50 and premium offerings above $200. Google's new $100 Home speaker lands at the practical upper limit for impulse purchases—a price ceiling that has become the contested middle ground. This bifurcation reflects years of category maturation, with the $100 band serving as the battleground where Amazon, Google, and Apple compete for shelf space between disposable and considered purchases.