Amazon working on new Echo with better speakers in response to Apple HomePod
Apparently in response to Apple's HomePod announcement, Amazon is reportedly working on a new flagship Echo speaker that will improve on the original in virtually every respect.
The first-generation Echo.
The updated model will be "shorter and slimmer," akin to three or four stacked Echo Dots, Engadget said, citing a source on the matter. Despite this the speaker should offer better sound, using several tweeters instead of just one. The HomePod will sport seven tweeters when it ships this December.
Amazon is also said to be planning improved microphone technology, despite the current Echo using seven far-field mics -- the HomePod will have six. One possibility is that the company is simply working on software and/or hardware refinements.
Design-wise, Amazon is said to be rounding the speaker's edges and adding cloth-like material. This should align the product with the look of both the HomePod and the Google Home.
Apple's HomePod.
Pricing is so far unknown, and the Engadget source noted that design could change by the time the product ships this fall. If Amazon can stick to a $180 price tag, it will retain at least one advantage over the HomePod, which will sell for $349.
Apple is aiming at a high-end audio market, however, looking to compete as much against Sonos products as the Echo and Home. The device will feature Siri support, and double as a HomeKit hub.
The first-generation Echo.
The updated model will be "shorter and slimmer," akin to three or four stacked Echo Dots, Engadget said, citing a source on the matter. Despite this the speaker should offer better sound, using several tweeters instead of just one. The HomePod will sport seven tweeters when it ships this December.
Amazon is also said to be planning improved microphone technology, despite the current Echo using seven far-field mics -- the HomePod will have six. One possibility is that the company is simply working on software and/or hardware refinements.
Design-wise, Amazon is said to be rounding the speaker's edges and adding cloth-like material. This should align the product with the look of both the HomePod and the Google Home.
Apple's HomePod.
Pricing is so far unknown, and the Engadget source noted that design could change by the time the product ships this fall. If Amazon can stick to a $180 price tag, it will retain at least one advantage over the HomePod, which will sell for $349.
Apple is aiming at a high-end audio market, however, looking to compete as much against Sonos products as the Echo and Home. The device will feature Siri support, and double as a HomeKit hub.
Comments
What I also find amusing is hearing that the next Echo will have a cloth covering despite all the derisive comments about the HomePod becoming some cat's scratching post. Some people are seriously retarded when it comes to design. Cat's use all sorts of things as scratching posts, so it's stupid to design products as not to attract cats.
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The difference is why you sell your hardware.
Amazon sells cheap hardware and systems to get people into their transactional ecosystem, with the goal of eventually getting a % of every $ spent on everything that has value in the universe. It's the Visa Model (we make it easy to get what you want) Car analogy: (they build a car that can drive just about everywhere, but if you go to their store, you just have to think about what you want, and it ends up in your trunk, and automatically pops out of the trunk and positions itself by your front door when you get home... and if you're at home, the car will listen to what you say, and tell another car to deliver the goods to the same door)
their not-so-secret sauce... eliminating the friction between your desires and the sale.
Apple sells high priced hardware and subsidizes the software development to build systems that can be infinitely integrated into other systems for seamless, enabling, user experience. The want to change the world, and hence need more cash on hand to live through the long periods of non-change and the occasional mistakes (RAZR), but when the do deliver greatness, the rest of the world adapts to them or dies. In the car model, they have made cars drivable at 200mph by mere mortals, and built an aftermarket so that car can be modified for $1.99 by a click of a button to customized experiences for each part of your driving live, and parts of your life that you didn't think had anything to do with driving ("my car can take pictures... my car knows where I am at). On top of that, I can put a watch on and my car knows if it needs to drive me to the hospital or the gym).
Apple's not so secret sauce... eliminating the frustration (dare say try to introduce 'joy') of using digital information to enhance your real life, but by solving your needs, not catering to your wants.
Google gives away 'free information' in exchange for putting a indelible mark on the end user's digital soul, and selling curated access to that mark to the digital devils, in exchange for money. They sell cheap hardware to ensure they are not shut out of the individual<->digital service delivery, because that is their Real product..
Google's not so secret sauce. people want something for nothing, and are willing to give up their privacy and security to do so.
(they sell cheap cars and give away free gas at their gas station(stolen from other gas stations), or minimally the path the gas station you want, but in doing so, they reprogram your car's radio and map for their paying customers, so even if you want Shell Gas, you're first 5 choices are something else).
In the end. the cheap cars will drive 200 miles per hour, all have apps, all have 8 gyros, and optional watches, or Matrix like BrainStem Implants (because hey, watch or brain stem implant, or even bulldozer skid steer controls , because some old school customers want interchangeable choice [right, Microsoft?]), all will start with a press of your fingerprint (or the dashboard recognizes you)... and they will sell because there are a vast majority of people who don't care or can't afford a better car.
And Apple will then make the 500mph car, and after ten years of not innovating will make self-driving planes that fly 600mph (too slow) 40,000 ft (too low), and only carry 4 passengers (Lame!), but 2 years later the Series 2 comes out flying at mach2, has a robotic flight attendant, and then all the ultralights and commuter airlines go out of business. And someone complains about the solar charging requiring you to fly above the clouds, and ask for replaceable batteries, because Samsung planes have them.
But I don't think they'll do that. I expect it'll be more costly but still far undercut HomePod.
Apple wants to sell music. I don't consume much of that. But I can't remember the last time I went "shopping" in a store. Prime killed that for me.
Or is a little wireless speaker what we consider "high-end audio" now? I'm not being a smart-ass, I'm checking if my understanding of the phrase differs from the average tech consumer.
I don't doubt the HomePod will sound better than an Echo -- hell, it can hardly miss -- and I totally get the concept of trading sonic accuracy for size and convenience, but I think calling it "high-end audio" devalues products from companies that work painstakingly to make speakers that sound as close to real life as possible.
In fact, you can have your iPhone connected to the Echo and your Echo connected to wireless speakers or some audio(/video)hub that accepts wireless signals and has wired or wireless speakers. I figure Amazon, Apple, and others will be capitalizing on this with how we interact with and use our televisions in the near future.
PS: The one think that doesn't exist yet is being able to buy an Echo product just for its microphones which will then relay to my Echo and its speakers. For example, the Echo is amazing in how can use normal talk, and even mumble while practically whispering from across the room as you walk through one room to another while half asleep. I will usually play music or some spoken word like a Podcast or Howard on SiriusXM in the morning, but almost always call that out from the bathroom. The speakers penetrate fine from the other rooms, but with the water rushing in the bathroom I do have to speak up a little louder and aim my voice to get Alexa to understand me. Frankly I'm impressed it can even hear me at all. Anyway, I wish I could like an Echo Dot to only be the microphone in the bathroom to relay to the other Echo and speakers from that room, but as it stands I'll likely have to buy another Echo Dot and add a BT speaker since the Dot doesn't have a great speaker for music, unlike the Echo proper which has good sound 9although there are audiophiles on here that will say that unless I spend over $100k on overpriced speaker that it would cause their ears to bleed).