Amazon Designed An Echo Input Smart Speaker Just For India

Over the past two years, Amazon has launched over ten Amazon Echo speakers in the Indian market, and the company is now adding a new model that offers portability, which among the most requested features from customers in India.

The e-commerce giant introduced the Echo Input Portable Smart Speaker Edition featuring a 4,800mAh built-in battery. The device can play music continuously for as long as 10 hours or stand by for up to 11 hours on one charge, according to Amazon.

Alexa Devices VP said in a statement that Indian customers have been requesting for portability that allows them to carry the voice assistant with them anywhere in the house. So the company has designed this product specifically for its fans in the country.

According to the giant, this edition of the Echo Input has the same hardware architecture with the standard version, which was rolled out in 2018 that doesn’t have a speaker.

Exclusively designed for the Indian market, the battery-powered device comes with a price tag of Rs 5,999. It started shipping on December 18.

Except for relying on the built-in battery for power supply, the Portable Smart edition shares the same features, such as access to Alexa’s 30,000 skills, support for the voice assistant, and compatibility with a set of home devices, like other Echo products.

In addition, there are four LEDs on the new Echo Input lighting up as soon as the user taps on its power button, which shows the battery level.

Amazon has never revealed the number of Echo speakers sold in the Indian market, but the company noted that India is one of the most important markets for it. In September, Rohit Prasad, Amazon’s Vice President and head scientist of Alexa AI, said during a conference that the Indian market has adopted Alexa phenomenally.

Over the years, several firms have added Alexa support to their smartphones and headphones, including Sony, Motorola, and LG. Amazon itself has invested over $5 billion in the Indian market. In September, the firm added support for Hindi to Alexa for a broader presence in India.