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Mike Roorda, revised

Amazon may be preparing to expand its power again The new target: the Apple AirPods.

According to a Bloomberg report, the retail giant could have an alternative to Apple's popular wireless headphones for the second half of the year. Amazon's heads are developed by the company's Lab126 lab, which is responsible for Echo, Kindle, Fire TV and Fire tablets.

According to the report, Alexa will be part of the new buds, which will allow users to call the digital assistant of Amazon saying "Alexa", in the same way as the latest AirPods. Apple and the new PowerBeats Pro can allow users to call Siri saying "Hey, Siri."

Alexa has already been integrated with other headphones and headphones, including those of Jabra and Bose. Amazon headphones should be connected to a phone for its Internet connection. Bloomberg said it would not have its own cellular connectivity.

Like other headphones, the Amazon buttons would be able to charge inside their included case. Black and gray are two possible color options, and Bloomberg says Amazon "craves better audio quality" than AirPods.

According to the report, they would look more like the AirPods than the new $ 249.95 Wireless PowerBeats inside the listener's ear, instead of hanging on them.

Close-up of a woman holding up two wireless headsets. (Photo: Getty Images)

The report makes no mention of the price targeted by Amazon, but notes that the company has always tried to reduce the prices of its competitors.

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An Amazon Basics Lightning cable for iPhone, for example, currently runs at $ 7 for a 3-foot cable on Amazon, while a similar Apple cable uses $ 19 from the Apple Store.

The latest AirPods from Apple start at $ 159 (those with a wireless charging case are at $ 199). The Jabra Elite 65t, which offers Alexa support, starts at $ 169.99.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment made by USA TODAY.

Follow Eli Blumenthal on Twitter @Eliblumenthal

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