Amazon expected to counter Apple's AirPlay 2 with Echo-based whole-home audio
In a potential shot at Apple's AirPlay 2 as well as speaker maker Sonos, Amazon is rumored to be preparing its own multi-speaker, multi-room music technology, which could come to existing Echo devices via a software update.
German blog Caschys reported this week that Amazon completed testing on the new feature, which is expected to launch soon for Alexa speakers.
The feature will reportedly allow users to stream to multiple rooms simultaneously, and also to group speakers together for both music listening and voice commands.
Apple has long offered AirPlay on its own devices, such as Apple TV and AirPort Express, as well as third-party speakers. It also offers multi-speaker support when music is streamed from a Mac.
But iPhones and iPads will also gain multi-room streaming this fall with the launch of iOS 11 and new AirPlay 2 speakers. Apple has also said that some existing AirPlay speakers can be updated to AirPlay 2 via firmware updates.
AirPlay 2 will also be a centerpiece for Apple's upcoming HomePod speaker, which will also boast multi-room and multi-speaker support. The $349 speaker and Siri listening device is set to launch this December.
Amazon, meanwhile, has been making inroads with its Echo devices, featuring the Alexa personal assistant. Most recently, the company launched the Echo Show, a model with a touchscreen display.
But while Amazon's Echo lineup is capable of playing music, the hardware has been pushed as a handy Alexa assistant first and foremost. Apple, meanwhile, has taken the opposite approach with HomePod, presenting it as a quality music speaker first and foremost.
Apple's approach could explain Amazon's push for multi-speaker, multi-room music support, countering one of the key selling points of the HomePod months before it finds its way into consumers' homes. In addition, Amazon is said to also be working on a new music-focused Echo with better speakers, which could more directly compete with Apple's HomePod.
German blog Caschys reported this week that Amazon completed testing on the new feature, which is expected to launch soon for Alexa speakers.
The feature will reportedly allow users to stream to multiple rooms simultaneously, and also to group speakers together for both music listening and voice commands.
Apple has long offered AirPlay on its own devices, such as Apple TV and AirPort Express, as well as third-party speakers. It also offers multi-speaker support when music is streamed from a Mac.
But iPhones and iPads will also gain multi-room streaming this fall with the launch of iOS 11 and new AirPlay 2 speakers. Apple has also said that some existing AirPlay speakers can be updated to AirPlay 2 via firmware updates.
AirPlay 2 will also be a centerpiece for Apple's upcoming HomePod speaker, which will also boast multi-room and multi-speaker support. The $349 speaker and Siri listening device is set to launch this December.
Amazon, meanwhile, has been making inroads with its Echo devices, featuring the Alexa personal assistant. Most recently, the company launched the Echo Show, a model with a touchscreen display.
But while Amazon's Echo lineup is capable of playing music, the hardware has been pushed as a handy Alexa assistant first and foremost. Apple, meanwhile, has taken the opposite approach with HomePod, presenting it as a quality music speaker first and foremost.
Apple's approach could explain Amazon's push for multi-speaker, multi-room music support, countering one of the key selling points of the HomePod months before it finds its way into consumers' homes. In addition, Amazon is said to also be working on a new music-focused Echo with better speakers, which could more directly compete with Apple's HomePod.
Comments
Amazon would need good 3rd party developer support. Things haven't
been going so well with Echo integration into current systems like Sonos, Heos and Soundtouch
I'd love even more for Amazon to fix the Echo Spatial Perception that seems to have broken recently. It's been disorienting lately when I speak to Alexa and have three of her respond to my request from three different rooms at slightly different times.
PS: As it's been detailed many times before, you don't even need to get rid of your Echo devices to have amazing sound in your living room that will easily best what Apple will offer with their HomePod out of the box.
Thats the problem none of those expensive system that sound like crap do... ir Amazon is claiming to be doing even in the future.
I should add I have long hoped Apple would get into the hearing aid market with their skills, I know they worked with some high end manufacturers but nothing seems to have come of it. Noise cancellation and ambient on the fly corrections and an AI system that learns and adapts to your needs. The market always follows the baby boomers, hearing impaired technology is going to be a large and growing market.
Again, on the same subject, subtitling is an area where wearables and AR would be nice. Everyone else has to suffer the annoying subtitles just because I can't hear speech well on TV these days due to the background music mostly.
Doing that doesn't fix the shit audio that 90% of expensive audio system actually deliver because of environmental or setup factors.
If you actually are an audio engineer and configured your equipment and room and placement purposefully and listen to audio always in the same spot, it would be irrelevant; otherwise it is not.
Also, if your comparing a $1000K+ stereo to the Homepod it may be irrelevant in many cases (cause the baseline of audio outside environmental and setup impact is higher), but also mostly a non sequitur to a $350 product you can drop anywhere.