Dive Brief:
- Amazon has
unveiled its latest Echo device, the Echo Show, which lives up
to its name by supporting video capabilities on a 7-inch touchscreen that
takes up more than half of the roughly square-shaped device, according to
the company's website.
- The Echo
Show will be released on June 28 for $229.99, but was available for
pre-order starting on Tuesday. The device has similar capabilities to
other Echo devices, and can respond to voice-activated queries to the
Alexa virtual assistant.
- The device
also displays video or images related to Alexa queries made by users, and
has a front-facing camera that allows it to be used for video calling. In
addition, it can connect to other smart cameras and smart home products
around a household.
Dive Insight:
The device has been long rumored to be in
development, and leaked images of it were published just a few days ago.
The Echo Show, Amazon's first Echo device
to offer a visual component, suggests it has the potential to enhance the
shopping process, either by helping users shop remotely via video, or shop
different components of video and still images, or both, and much more. But,
for now, Amazon isn't saying much about that, instead focusing on the ability
to use Alexa to initiate video calls, and the addition of a video aspect to
supplement information queries and applications that already are common to
other Echo devices.
The unveiling of the Echo Show comes less
than a month after the launch of the Echo Look, another Echo
device with a front-facing camera that aims to serve as a sort of personal
stylist for consumers. The narrow, oval-shaped device can take full-body
photos and videos, and logs them in a "Lookbook." It also offers a "Style Check" feature that
allows users to choose two photos of outfits to compare. Alexa then delivers a
judgment based on automated assessment of factors such as fit, color, styling,
seasons and current trends.
Amazon is setting a rapid pace with its
various Echo launches at a time when the voice-activated assistant market
poised to boom. About 35.6 million Americans will use a voice-activated assistant device at least once
a month this year, according to a new forecast from eMarketer. If
that forecast proves correct, that will represent a 128.9% jump in voice
engagement with virtual assistants over last year.
Amazon’s Echo speaker will attract 70.6% of
users, according to eMarketer, while Google Home will garner just 23.8% and
smaller players, such as Lenovo, LG, Harmon Kardon and Mattel will make up the
rest of the market. As other players enter the market, such as Microsoft with
the launch of its Cortana-powered "Invoke" this week, there
are a few corners of the market yet to be won over. Amazon, however, may
try to hold on to its dominance in the space by finding the right Echo form
factor for each and every consumer.
#MobileMarketing #Application
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