Amazon already has several Echo speakers: Dot, Show, Studio, etc. But the line isn’t complete yet. There’s a rumor that it may be creating a new Echo Show that will operate as a command center for your smart home.
Echo Show Command Center
Current Echo Show devices are smart speakers with a touchscreen on the face. This allows them to show videos, photos, security footage, streamed content, and more. Amazon is about to do it one better, according to people familiar with the plans who spoke to a news outlet.
The new device would mount to a wall and be the largest of the Echo Shows, which are currently 5 inches, 8 inches, and 10 inches.
The purpose of this new Echo Show would be to act as a command center for all your smart home devices and connected accounts.
Amazon’s Lab126 hardware division is said to be currently working on this new device. It would, of course, work with the Alexa voice assistant. It would allow users to view their schedules, play music, and operate their home’s smart devices, such as lights, locks, and doorbells. It would be great for remote workers, as it would have a camera and mic for video meetings.
Displays of 10 inches and 13 inches are being tested by Lab123. It will have to be thinner than current Echo Shows so that it can be mounted on a wall, which would keep it accessible to the household.
There must be some tricky setup to the Echo Show command center, as users wouldn’t be mounting on it on the wall themselves. A team would be sent to their home to mount it and conduct a short tutorial.
Availability
Rumors state that if testing and development go as planned, the Echo Show command center could be released by the end of 2021. There’s also a chance the company could hold off and launch it the following year.
People familiar with the plans believe the command center could sell in the $200 to $250 range.
Possible roadblocks could be the install process. It eliminates the remote aspect. Buying anything from Amazon is great – you fill your cart on the site or app, then wait for it to be delivered to your doorstep. Now you would have to schedule an install appointment. What happens if it doesn’t work at some point? Do you have to have Amazon out to your home for repair?
It’s kind of like the company’s Amazon Key, its service that delivers your purchases inside your home instead of on your doorstep, gaining access to your home through a keyless entry. It hasn’t really taken the market by storm.
The Echo Show command center could be similar. It goes against the grain. While the idea of it sounds like everything Amazon and smart devices have been aiming for, the install requirement goes against the very grain of what we expect with Amazon.
Image Credit: Amazon
Get the best of IoT Tech Trends delivered right to your inbox!
