A new report unearths some of the online retailer’s plans for its Alexa digital assistant, with at least eight new smart devices including an amplifier, a microwave, and an in-car gadget.
The breadth of devices in which Alexa can be found has been expanding, be it through third-party devices such as the Sonos Beam soundbar, or Amazon’s own Fire TV Cube. But it looks like the online retail behemoth could have even bigger plans for the digital assistant.
A new report by CNBC suggests that the company has plans for at least eight new Alexa-enabled devices, ranging from predictable items, such as an amplifier and a subwoofer, to the less conventional, such as a microwave. An unspecified in-car gadget is also planned. The devices are apparently coming before the end of 2018 with an announcement planned for later this month, according to internal documents. While all devices will have the ability to be connected with Alexa, only some will have Alexa built in.
With the ever-increasing presence of smart digital assistants, it’s not entirely surprising to see a wider range of devices and appliances being powered by them. Amazon’s entry into the market could put it head-to-head with other smart appliance makers, such as Samsung and LG, so it should be interesting to see how it will fare against the competition. Alexa is arguably the most popular digital assistant for the home, which could give Amazon’s devices an advantage.
Source: CNBC via The Verge
