Jordan O'BrienAmazon wants to showcase the power of its Alexa voice assistant, but its online store can only go so far. That’s why it’s expanded to physical retail stores, although even they’re limited in what they can show. Now Amazon has found a way to display all of the smart home tech Alexa can control in a real-world setting, thanks to a partnership with US housebuilder Lennar.
Lennar is the largest housebuilder in the United States, and has allowed Amazon to fit out 15 of its show homes with an Amazon Echo speaker and all the smart tech that you can stuff inside a house. Amazon is hoping that those wanting to get an idea of what its smart speaker can do will head on over to these show homes and be inspired to kit out their own home.
The 15 show homes are located across the United States, with show homes in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC. They will be identifiable from standard Lennar show rooms as they will be branded ‘Amazon Experience Centres’. They will also be chock-full of smart products, from thermostats to lighting fixtures. That’s in addition to the Fire TVs which will show off Prime TV content.
“We wanted customers to experience a real home environment that showcases the convenience of the Alexa smart home experience, great entertainment available with Prime, and Home Services,” said Bhavnish Lathia, general manager of Amazon Services, in a statement.
What Products Will Be On Show?
Those wanting to head on over to an Amazon Experience Centre will find a whole range of products. The company has confirmed the following will be on show:
Smart Speakers
- Echo Show
- Echo Dot
- Sonos One
Smart Devices
- Baldwin Evolved Smart Lock
- Honeywell Lyric Round Wi-Fi Thermostat 2.0
- Lutron Smart Bridge Pro with lighting and shading products
- Ring Video Doorbell Elite or Pro
- Samsung SmartThings Hub
What’s In It For Lennar?
There’s a reason Amazon chose Lennar over any other US housebuilder, and it’s not just because it’s the biggest. In fact, it’s because Lennar includes a lot of things as standard – including a plethora of connectivity options, luxury features, and energy-efficient solutions. By teaming up with Amazon, Lennar can further that reputation with smart home offerings.