Amazon New Echo Speaker To Feature 7-Inch Touchscreen

Among existing digital assistants in the market, Amazon wants to show its competitors that it is a cut above its rivals by coming out with a new Amazon Echo speaker. The soon-to-launch speaker would have a seven-inch touchscreen where users could make Internet-based phone and video calls and show visual results for queries that are verbalized. It would include camera functionality.

The company has been beta testing the new Amazon Echo speaker the past few months. MacRumors reports that Amazon could launch the speaker on May 9, Tuesday. The addition of a touchscreen would boost the tag price of the new speaker to more than $200. The current model has a price tag of $150, but it sells for $180.

But Amazon’s innovation does not end with the upcoming Amazon Echo speaker. The tech website says Amazon would also introduce telephone services to current Echo devices in the next few weeks. It would include intercom functionality that would allow two Echo devices to communicate with each other.

There are speculations that Apple is in the final stages of development for a Siri-based speaker to compete with Google Home, Echo and Harmon Invoke, the smart speaker powered by Cortana of Microsoft. However, it would not have a touchscreen like the upcoming Amazon Echo speaker. Business Insider adds that Evan Blass leaked last week images of the new Amazon speaker.

Using the touchscreen of the Amazon Echo speaker, the device owner would order Alexa, the Amazon virtual assistant, the item to purchase. The options would show on the display. Since the new speaker’s capabilities are based on the Internet, the device would not likely required a SIM card or other mobile phone technology, 9To5Mac reports. It would have the same features as the Echo Look which Amazon recently unveiled. The similar features include support for taking photos and videos of clothes and comparing it using algorithms.