Amazon could soon launch a new version of the Amazon Echo that will come with both a built-in camera and a touch screen, following up on the recently announced Amazon Echo Look.
Images of the new Amazon Echo device have also surfaced, providing users a first look at the upcoming smart speaker.
Amazon Echo With Touch Screen Spotted
Reports that Amazon was working on a version of the smart speaker with a 7-inch display and powered by Fire OS first surfaced in November 2016. However, it was said that Amazon was planning to unveil the new Amazon Echo in the first quarter of 2017, which has already ended.
A small image of what appears to be an Amazon Echo with a touch screen has now been discovered by AFTVnews on the servers of Amazon, hinting that the device's announcement is imminent.
The blurry image of the wedge-shaped device, codenamed "Knight," shows the new Amazon Echo with a touch screen on the upper half and the speaker on the lower half. The image is extremely pixelated, which could raise questions on authenticity, but AFTVnews is a trusted source, as it was also able to acquire a photo of the Amazon Echo Look before it was unveiled by browsing through Amazon's servers.
Fortunately, notorious leaker Evan Blass helped users take a clearer look by tweeting high-resolution images of the Amazon Echo with touch screen, along with a white color option. The photos of Blass showed that the device indeed has a camera at the top bezel, and that it will definitely work with Alexa due to the recommendation displayed on its screen. There is no clear proof that the display is a touch screen, but several dots at the bottom of the display suggest that users can go through several items by swiping through them.
In addition to the touch screen, the new Amazon Echo is also expected to have improved speakers. From the leaked image, it is unclear if the device will indeed run on Fire OS or on a brand-new operating system. A chat icon with notifications, seen at the top right of the screen, also hints that the device could either feature a new messaging service or integration with iOS or Android.
New Amazon Echo Coming Very Soon
A previous report claimed that the Amazon Echo with a built-in screen would be revealed this month, which helps explain why an image of the device has already been uploaded to Amazon's servers.
Upon its launch, the new device will be added to the growing list of Amazon Echo products. While the Amazon Echo Look focused its camera capabilities in snapping pictures of users to give them fashion advice, the camera of the Amazon Echo with touch screen is expected to enable video calls. Its construction also hints that the device could be used as a bedside or working table companion as a smart clock.
The expected announcement of the Amazon Echo with touch screen will come a month before Apple is rumored to unveil its own smart speaker, which will be powered by digital assistant Siri. The upcoming challenger, however, is assumed to have a higher price tag than the $179 Amazon Echo.
