Amazon is Planning to Release At Least 8 New Alexa-powered Devices This Year

Retail giant Amazon has plans to release at least eight brand new Alexa-powered devices by the end of the year.

The controlled hardware devices include a microwave as well as an amplifier and something for inside the car.

According to CNBC, who cited sources familiar with the situation, all of the devices will be Alexa-enabled, meaning they can easily connect to the voice assistant. Some will also have Alexa built in.

An internal document has also revealed that some of the devices will be revealed later this month.

The CNBC article reads, “Having its own home appliances also opens up a new sales channel for Amazon. By partnering with smart home installation companies, Amazon can make its Alexa-powered devices more readily available in new homes. Sonos, for example, has a similar business model, as it said in its quarterly filing that it relies on “custom installers of home audio systems for a significant portion of our sale.”

“Amazon is showing signs of accelerating partnerships with home builders. Earlier this year, it partnered with home builder Lennar to include two Echo speakers in certain new homes and provide visits by Amazon technicians. Amazon’s former director of Alexa Smart Home, Charlie Kindel, meanwhile, joined smart home service provider Control4 in August.”

Amazon declined to comment.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) and have not been compensated for this article.