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For several months now, there have been rumors that Amazon is planning an AirPods competitor. Now, more details about the alleged AirPods killer have emerged.
The news channel Bloomberg learned of Amazon's plans in April, according to which the shipping giant wants to introduce its own AirPods. These are said to have Alexa integration and significantly better sound quality than the Apple AirPods. It is unclear exactly how Alexa will work - the plugs could possibly have their own cellular chip - alternatively they would be dependent on the connected smartphone - the latter is considered more likely. In terms of design, they are said to be hardly different from the AirPods - their functionality is also said to be similar to Apple's version. Even then, as now, it is also claimed that the AirPods competitors also have "physical gesture control" - e.g. tapping to answer calls and switch between songs. But now CNBC claims to have learned more details on the subject. According to the latest information, Amazon's plugs are to be released with a fitness tracking function. This means that they are to have an acceleration sensor that can track things like distance running, calorie consumption and speed.
Echo speakers on the rise
CNBC also wants to know the price. The new earphones are said to cost under 100 US dollars - which is significantly below the price of the AirPods. However, it is unclear whether the plugs will really be wireless - they could possibly be connected with a cable like the BeatsX. In addition to the new Amazon Buds, a new Echo speaker is also set to appear - according to CNBC. This is intended to compete with the Apple HomePod. In order to keep up in terms of sound quality, it supposedly has a built-in woofer - it is said to offer significantly better sound than previous Echos - according to the news channel. The report states:
"Both products would fit Amazon's strategy of placing the Alexa voice assistant everywhere—in the home and beyond. The new earbuds enable mobile access to Alexa and allow users to talk to the voice assistant even outdoors. The more voluminous Echo is designed as a central speaker in Alexa's core range, as it features a woofer and a higher-quality speaker than the original Echo."
Both the new AirPods and HomePod competitors are set to be announced this Wednesday - according to the source. Whether Amazon's plan will work remains to be seen, of course. (Photo by bennymarty / Bigstockphoto)
