Jordan O'BrienAmazon is reportedly planning to host a major hardware event next month where we could see the release of eight new devices supporting the Alexa voice assistant. That would represent a huge expansion in the number of first-party Alexa devices available from Amazon, and could include everything from an amplifier to a microwave.
According to CNBC, Amazon has a whole host of devices that it wants to launch, and it will target different areas of people’s lives. That includes a device for the car, which could be similar to a device Spotify is reportedly working on – which can clip into the car’s vents and connect via Bluetooth to play music and control the smart home using the Alexa voice assistant. Spotify has yet to announce its offering officially, however, meaning Amazon could beat it to the punch.
By far the oddest new product that is expected to debut is an Alexa-enabled microwave. While smart appliances have been common from manufacturers like LG and Samsung, Amazon’s foray into the market could help them go mainstream. It’s not known whether this microwave will do anything special, however – after all, there’s only so much a smart microwave could do.
Two products that are highly likely to debut at next month’s event are an Alexa-enabled subwoofer and a smart plug. That’s because the folks over at Pocket-Lint have already spotted a product listing for the two devices, including images and a potential price. The subwoofer is unlikely to be popular amongst custom installers, but reportedly adds 100W of bass to an Echo or Echo Plus speaker, meaning it could be ideal for a room equipped with one – such as a hallway. The subwoofer is likely to be able to wirelessly pair with the Echo, while it’s also expected that stereo pairing of Echo devices will become possible.
The smart plug is a little plainer. It’s simply a device users can plug into the wall and connect anything they want to it – controlling its on/off state through either a smartphone app or the Alexa voice assistant. An in-built microphone could also make this a unique way to get Alexa into every room of the house. The reported £95 price makes it expensive for a smart plug, however, even more than the reported £75 subwoofer.
Amazon has already signalled its desire to be in as many devices as possible. It has partnered with a myriad of third-parties to make the Alexa assistant available on smartphones, fridges, TVs, cars, and just about everything else a user may interact with. These new devices prove that the company has no plans to slow down anytime soon.