Amazon Prepares Alexa Earbuds With Fitness Tracking and Premium Echo Speaker
Amazon reportedly develops Alexa-enabled wireless earbuds with built-in fitness tracking and prepares a high-end Echo speaker with improved sound quality. The new hardware potentially debuts at the company's upcoming Seattle event.
Amazon is developing wireless earbuds that feature built-in fitness tracking and Alexa voice assistant access, according to a new report from CNBC. These earbuds include an accelerometer for measuring motion, distance, calories burned, and running pace. This marks Amazon's first major entry into the personal health and fitness device market, directly competing with wearables like the Apple Watch and Fitbit.
Beyond health features, these earbuds provide Amazon with a way to offer a portable Alexa experience for users outside the home. The company currently relies on third-party headphone partnerships and car integrations to extend Alexa's reach beyond stationary smart speakers. Priced under $100, these earbuds offer a significant cost advantage over premium competitors like Apple's AirPods, though they still require a smartphone connection to function.
In addition to the earbuds, Amazon is readying a larger Echo speaker that features a built-in woofer and delivers more premium sound than its existing lineup. This high-end audio device aligns with a previous Bloomberg report from July. Amazon hosts a hardware event in Seattle this Wednesday, where the company potentially reveals some or all of these new products to the public.