Amazon set to launch giant Echo for your wall, soundbar and more, report says
Amazon will launch a slew of new products next week, including a wall-mounted Echo, a soundbar and wearables, according to Bloomberg.
A host of new products could be coming from Amazon.
Amazon has a slew of new devices and services under development, according to a report Friday from Bloomberg. With the company's fall product launch event set for Tuesday, we could see them sooner rather than later.
A massive Echo Show
According to the report, Amazon's Lab126 division, which created top-selling products like the original Echo and the voice assistant Alexa, is working on a giant Echo with a 15-inch screen that could be mounted to your wall or placed on a stand, like a small TV or a futuristic home-control panel.
Reportedly it has many functions of a smart display, including the ability to control smart home devices, watch streaming content and offer widgets for things like calendar appointments, weather, timers and more.
Amazon may have a take on Facebook's Portal TV, which adds a microphone, camera and AR chat effects to your TV.
Soundbar with camera
There's also a report of a TV sound bar from Amazon. You can already buy soundbars with Alexa built in, and Amazon just announced its own line of TVs last month.
This specific product is reported to have a front-facing camera, similar to the Portal TV from Facebook (above). Adding the camera (hopefully with a corresponding shutter), would allow you to make video calls from your TV.
Read more: Amazon makes its own TVs now, and one responds to 'Alexa' hands-free
More Echo Auto
Amazon is also reportedly working on a second generation of its Echo Auto device. The original Echo Auto pairs with your smartphone to bring Alexa to your car's speakers and hear commands through your phone's microphone.
Echo Auto adds Alexa to your ride.
The updated version is said to be redesigned and could include the ability to charge your phone. It's reported that Amazon is also working with car manufacturers to get Alexa onto the in-dash infotainment systems of more brands.
Those are the most solid rumors from the Bloomberg report. There's always chatter of new Echo speakers, and some are wondering if Amazon is working on health-related wearables. Rumors of devices for children and seniors are floating around as well.
It's possible we could see any or none of these devices announced at Tuesday's invite-only event. Similar events in years past have seen a blizzard of new and sometimes surprising products, from a security drone that flies around your house to an Alexa-powered microwave. These product tips are "according to internal documents and people familiar with the matter," according to the Bloomberg post. Amazon didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.