Verizon's Smart Display is real and responds to 'Hi, Verizon'

The Amazon Alexa-powered smart speaker is coming later this year.

Eli Blumenthal Senior Editor

Eli Blumenthal is a senior editor at CNET with a particular focus on covering the latest in the ever-changing worlds of telecom, streaming and sports. He previously worked as a technology reporter at USA Today.

Expertise 5G, mobile networks, wireless carriers, phones, tablets, streaming devices, streaming platforms, mobile and console gaming

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Eli Blumenthal

July 21, 2021 11:47 a.m. PT

2 min read

Verizon has been teasing a smart display since March, and on Wednesday it finally announced that it is indeed a real product. Aptly, if not creatively, called the Verizon Smart Display the new product was announced during Amazon's Alexa Live event.

The device will feature an 8-inch 1,280x800 display, 4GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. As previous images revealed, including an FCC filing in March, there will be a front-facing camera with a privacy shutter. Verizon has confirmed to CNET that the device will feature a low-power 4G LTE modem inside, but it will not be used to provide home internet access.

Instead, the carrier says that it will be used to "ensure that the Verizon Smart Display can communicate with Verizon's back-end systems should there be an internet outage," giving the company "the ability to more accurately troubleshoot and proactively resolve issues."

Tech support seems to be a key focus for Verizon with this device. In addition to troubleshooting outages, the Smart Display will also be able to help with setting up home internet services or getting tech support through video conferencing.

Built on Amazon's Alexa platform, the device will respond to both "Alexa" and "Hi, Verizon" wake words, though what the latter will be able to do was not immediately clear beyond having it show you your bill.

The device will have a speaker and work with "multiple" streaming video and music services, but exact providers were not announced.

No pricing was given for the device, which Verizon says will launch "in beta" this fall for a "select group" of Fios customers. A more widespread launch for those with its 5G Home Internet and LTE Home Internet services is slated for next year.