Apparently, Amazon did a product announcement event on May 17, but forgot to tell the press about it (press, what is press?) and consequently the world. There must be a reason for this, and is the fact that these announcements - four new Echo-branded devices - are not exactly what one would expect from the company that owns Alexa, the most recognized voice assistant (Alexa-enabled devices surpass half a billion devices sold globally - in comparison Siri is enabled in at least two billion of Apple devices, but very few actually use it).
The update to Amazon's Echo lineup, include the new Echo Pop form factor, a new Echo Show 5 (the thing with display), Echo Show 5 Kids (another thing with display that looks more like an alarm clock), and (surprise) new Echo Buds (which seem like Amazon ordered $20 TWS earbuds from a China ODM). For Amazon, these four new devices count as just more options for users to access Alexa. In reality, they will essentially compete with many low-cost electronics in their category.
The "all-new" Echo Pop smart speakers ($39.99) look like the Echo Dot design was spliced in half - which is effectively a way to make it cheaper. According to Amazon, these are available in two colors Lavender Bloom and Midnight Teal, although the official photo also shows a black and a grey model. As the company says, "these new Echo devices pack even more value into their compact form factors and offer customers even more choice in how they access Alexa."
In the new Echo Pop form factor there is only place for a front-facing directional speaker, which is what is possible for just $39.99. In comparison, the original Amazon Echo smart speakers will sound like hifi products. Of course, the sound of an Echo Pop will be OK to listen to podcasts and you can always ask Alexa to tell jokes: "Do you know what you call an Echo Dot 4th gen sliced in half? An Echo Pop!"
The compact design was actually intended to fill a use case of a dorm room where there's no room (or a bedside table), or simply to hide more Echos around the home where no one notices. Although it's not common knowledge, Amazon does sell an Echo Sub ($129.99) with a 6" woofer, and the most recent Echo speakers can all be configured as stereo pairs and expanded with an Echo Sub - wirelessly. We assume the Echo Pops will work as well. Just don't dream of a wireless Dolby Atmos multichannel Echo system with these - for now at least. And of course, all Echo Pops support eero Built-in, which means it can expand the coverage of an existing eero Wi-Fi network - which is the new Amazon creepy strategy of controlling our home Wi-Fi.
Justice should be done to the poor Amazon product developers, designers and product managers who were asked to come up with the Echo Pops. "It was a big challenge to imagine and deliver a powerful smart speaker at this price," says Rajesh Parthasarathy, principal product manager on the team that built Echo Pop. "We designed a unique form factor and added two new color options — we think customers are going to love it."
www.amazon.com
