Amazon Sprints Ahead in the Voice-Enabled Speaker Market

On Tuesday, Amazon unveiled the latest addition to its voice-enabled speaker line-up, the Echo Show. The new device will be the first one to feature a screen, enabling its users to watch videos, look at products (how convenient) and make video calls among other things. At $229.99, the Echo Show is the most expensive device in Amazon’s smart speaker line, which is no surprise given its additional features.

First derided as creepy by many people concerned about the privacy implications of having a device constantly listening in our homes, the Alexa-powered Echo family has been a big success for Amazon. The company appears to have secured a significant first-mover advantage in a market that is poised for growth with Apple reportedly planning to join the party soon. According to estimates by eMarketer, more than 70 percent of the 35.6 million Americans using a voice-enabled speaker will use an Echo device this year.