BPL to launch Alexa-enabled smart speaker next year

BPL, a popular Indian electronics brand of  90's is all set to foray into the smart speaker market. The company has announced that it will introduce a smart speaker featuring Amazon's voice assistant Alexa. 

BPL's smart speaker will be called as BPL Voice One, and currently isin prototype stage. It will be launched next year, and will be available exclusively from Amazon India. BPL says it will be offered at an attractive price. 

“As a brand that pioneered numerous technologies in India, I am happy that we have the opportunity to be the first Indian consumer company to bring out an AVS (Alexa Voice Service)-enabled smart speaker. Our relationship with Amazon has been engaging and insightful, and we do believe that through AVS we will continue to give our customers the perfect mix of innovation and reliability in a brand,” Manmohan Ganesh, head of corporate strategy at BPL, said in a statement.

Similar to Amazon's Alexa-enabled Echo speaker, BPL Voice One, will connect to the cloud-based Alexa voice service to play music, set alarms and timers, check the calendar and weather, and control smart home devices, among others.

Amazon India is also said to form more such partnerships with Indian manufacturers in the coming months.

To remind you earlier this month, Amazon launched it Alexa and Echo speakers in India. They are currently on pre-order on an invitation basis, and will start shipping early next month. 

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