Better yet, awareness of Amazon Echo among U.S. Amazon customers increased dramatically in the past 12 months, the research firm finds.

CIRP estimates that for U.S. Amazon customers, awareness of Amazon Echo increased to 69% as of September 30 of this year -- up from 20% as of March 31 of 2015.

“Amazon continues to expand Echo, introducing two new models this year, the Dot and Tap,” Josh Lowitz, cofounder and partner at CIRP, notes in a new report.

“Amazon also promotes it heavily, with special pricing on multiple Echo device purchases and Echo devices bundled with compatible speakers and home automation devices. Amazon also offers deals available only to Amazon Prime members exclusively through Echo,” it added.

Customers use Amazon Echo for various purposes, with one-third using it as an information provider responding to questions, and over 40% as an audio speaker listening to streaming music.

“Our research shows that more than half of Echo owners use the device as more than a voice-controlled music speaker,” added Lowitz. “Users report asking about weather and news, and increasingly controlling other connected devices.”

CIRP bases its findings on surveys of 3,500 U.S. subjects who made a purchase at Amazon.com in the period from January of 2015 through September 2016.