Digital Trends - Friday, July 12, 2019 at 11:03 AM
Amazon is reportedly planning a bigger, better Echo smart speaker
[amazon smart home device deals before prime day echo sub bundle with 2 2nd
gen devices]
Amazon is planning a new version of its popular Echo smart speaker, according
to a report by Bloomberg. Scheduled for a possible 2020 release, the new model
is said to be larger than the current
version<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-12/amazon-plans-high-end-echo-ramps-up-work-on-alexa-home-robot>,
with more internal speaker components, yet it will still retain the Echo’s
distinctive cylindrical shape. The smart speaker category has become highly
competitive since Amazon launched the first version of the Echo in 2015, with
new entries from both high-tech companies like Apple and Google, as well as
brands that hail from the traditional audio market, such as JBL and Sonos.
The current Echo and Echo Plus now sit between inexpensive, yet small smart
speakers like its own Echo Dot, and the Google Home Mini, and larger, more
expensive models like Apple’s
HomePod<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/apple-homepod-review/>,
the Google Home
Max<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/google-home-max-review/>,
and the Sonos
One<https://www.digitaltrends.com/wireless-speaker-reviews/sonos-one-review/>.
It’s these larger, better-sounding smart speakers that Amazon is likely
targeting with a revamped Echo, given that listening to music is among the most
popular smart speaker-based activities. In fact, it’s so popular that Amazon
Music was recently credited with being the fastest growing streaming music
service<https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/07/amazon-music-unlimited-is-growing-faster-than-apple-music-or-spotify-report-says/>
— largely on the strength of its Echo product line, which is configured to use
Amazon Music out of the box, and the free tier of Amazon
Music<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/amazon-free-music-streaming-service-news/>
it launched in April 2019.
To make a dent in this higher-end side of the smart speaker market, Amazon is
going to have to create a speaker that sounds significantly better than the
current $100 Echo, while being mindful that the Sonos One, at $200, is not only
an excellent speaker, it also gives users the ability to pick their preferred
voice assistant. Users can choose either Amazon’s Alexa or the Google
Assistant, making the Sonos One and Sonos Beam, the only smart speaker products
to do so. Apple’s $300 HomePod, while a solid performer in the audio
department, represents less of a threat given that it is only compatible with
Apple’s Siri, and currently only supports Apple Music. Echo products offer a
variety of music services, as does Sonos. Current Echo users can supplement the
low-end of their device’s audio performance by adding a $130 Echo
Sub<https://www.digitaltrends.com/smart-home-reviews/amazon-echo-sub-review/>.
If the new Echo speaker is a genuine heavy-hitter as far as audio quality goes,
it could be a sign that Amazon is indeed going to add a higher-quality tier to
its Amazon Music Unlimited
service<https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/amazon-music-hi-fi-hi-res-streaming-audio/>,
which would compete with Tidal and Quobuz. Offering that higher tier to buyers
of the new Echo speaker at no additional cost could be a very attractive offer
for fans of hi-res music.
Editors' Recommendations
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/amazon-planning-bigger-echo-smart-speaker/
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info<http://WWW.DavidGoldfield.info>
