Amazon Launches ‘Echo Show’ with Touchscreen in the U.S.

Amazon has officially announced its latest Echo device, called the Echo Show. The new device will be the first Echo product to feature a screen and ushers in some new features previously unavailable on Echo devices.

According to a new report from TechCrunch, Amazon will launch its new version of its Echo speaker that features a seven-inch touchscreen and the ability to make Internet-based telephone calls today at a $229 USD price point, with the first units to ship June 28.

“Echo Show brings you everything you love about Alexa, and now she can show you things,” reads the description on Amazon. “Watch video flash briefings and YouTube, see music lyrics, security cameras, photos, weather forecasts, to-do and shopping lists, and more. All hands-free—just ask.”

Amazon’s Echo Show comes in black and white with a seven-inch touchscreen that shows notifications, includes internet video and voice calling, and even allows conversations to take place through multiple Echoes placed in the home.

Other features include the ability to see lyrics on-screen with Amazon Music, Dolby-powered sound, compatibility with smart lights, baby monitors, doorbells and more plus “thousands of skills” such as Uber, Jeopardy!, Allrecipes, and CNN.

The Echo Show will help Amazon continue to dominate the voice-controlled speaker market in the U.S. A recent study published by eMarketer shows the company has a 70.6 percent market share, and also that users of voice-controlled speakers is expected to double to 35.6 million this year.

Apple’s Phil Schiller said in a recent interview smart speakers could benefit from a display–and oddly enough, here is Amazon’s Echo debut with that feature.

The Amazon Echo Show costs $229.99 USD and will ship to customers from June 28th. If you buy more than one, you can use promo code ‘Show2Pack’ to get a $100 discount on the order. See the product page on Amazon for more information. No word on whether these will ever make their way to Canada.

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