Amazon has consistently been at the forefront of the technology industry, releasing new devices and updates to existing devices. Today, this trend continues with the announcement of the Echo Pop, a new addition to the Echo family. This unidirectional smart speaker resembles the shape and size of the Dot, but differs in price. At $40 the Pop undercuts the Dot, making it an attractive option for those looking to get Alexa into their home on a budget.
The Pop is available in four distinct colors: black, white, lavender and teal. This vibrant array of shades will make it attractive to a younger audience than the standard Echo range, likely targeting college and university students living in dorms. It runs on Amazon’s AZ2 chip and supports Eero connectivity should the user want to double it up as a wireless range extender.
The Echo Pop is part of a larger refresh, with updates also announced for the Show 5, Echo Buds, and Echo Auto. During the announcement, SVP Rohit Prasad spoke excitedly about the current direction of Alexa. Despite recent reports of a 2,000-strong workforce reduction in the division, Prasad insists that their is still a great deal of investments and enthusiasm for the AI-focused service. He hopes that the advancements made in the next few years will move Alexa towards becoming ‘the personal AI’, a service which allows automated and comprehensive assitance.
When asked about the device, Prasad held his optimism but also noted that the Pop was not a replacement for the Dot. Instead, the company appears to be using the device to create more popular opportunities for the voice assistant, helping to move Alexa into more homes and giving those who are already using it more options for their setup.
