Virtual aide market a 'wildfire' at CES gadget show

Las Vegas

VOICE-COMMANDED virtual assistants packed into speakers and other devices will be a "game-changing" trend this year, Consumer Electronics Show (CES) researchers said Sunday.

Sales of smart speakers are expected to nearly double in the US to US$3.8 billion from last year, according to Lesley Rohrbaugh and Steve Koenig, researchers with the Consumer Technology Association, which organises the annual CES trade event.