Launched in 2014, Amazon’s Alexa is an intelligent personal assistant which is capable of voice interaction, music playback, and replying to usual questions. It is like having Google Assistant or Siri are home to control everything around you.
CES 2017 saw every other company jumping on to integrate Alexa into their products. From toasters, fridges to even robots, Alexa was the star of the show at CES. It was also time Amazon thought about launching it in India along with the device Amazon Echo.
According to FactorDaily, Amazon is planning to launch the product in India in the second half of the year. The news from comes from two inside people who know about the matter and have knowledge of the developments taking place.
“They’re putting together content and localising the service,” one of the sources told FactorDaily. The preparations include testing the product here, checking the feasibility and getting up to speed with the inventory. A lot of questions have been raised about Alexa’s application in India but Amazon could be the first to start a trend.
However, there is a slight chance that Alexa powered Amazon Echo won’t launch in India if the phases ahead do not go smoothly. Despite that, anyone bringing Echo from outside will be able to use it with limited functionality.
Google Home is another competitor to Amazon Echo, and it is said that Amazon’s product does a better job at it. However, Google Home is ironically available on Amazon India for a steep price of Rs. 23,999 which will not be attractive enough for the common public. Amazon Echo is priced at $180 in the US or Rs. 12,500, which is much cheaper than Google Home.
Amazon has launched its global products in India, including Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Now, and with so much investment it makes sense to launch an incredible product in the country. It will also help Indian manufacturers integrate Alexa into their products.
If Alexa makes it to India this year, it will change the way Internet of Things work. You will be able to control everything through one device, which includes your electronics. You can request for any information, get weather updates, set alarms and get regular news instantly. It is a personal assistant built out of the phone for your day-to-day chores.
Now that Alexa might make it to India soon, we want to see if rival Flipkart comes up with something similar to take the bigger bite of the cake. Flipkart has always been at odds with Amazon and this might be a good chance for it to showcase its strength.
Source: FactorDaily
