Report: Amazon is working on a new Echo speaker directly competing with HomePod and Sonos

According to Bloomberg, Amazon is working on a new addition to the line of Amazon Echo smart speakers to compete more directly with the Apple HomePod and Sonos speakers in terms of sound quality.

The new model is expected to come out "here next year" and the current prototypes include at least four internal tweeters. The HomePod cylinder contains seven beamforming tweeters. Echo's current lineup "will also receive minor updates this fall," according to the publication.

Since the beginning of HomePod in early 2018, Amazon has already taken steps to improve the quality of Echo's voice.

The company has launched Echo Plus, more expensive, to offer "quality sound", but it has not yet reached the level of sound quality of Apple or Sonos.

While Apple has focused the HomePod on the music experience, Amazon continues to make the Echo a way to provide Alexa intelligence, which it's all about. # 39; help in the kitchen with cooking recipes, control smart accessories or other tasks of digital assistant.

Nevertheless, a report on market share yesterday showed that the growth of Amazon's music service exceeded that of Apple Music partly because of the large Amazon Amazon hardware installation base. Amazon is apparently weighing a high fidelity audio level of its music service, which could be related to the launch of better quality speaker accessories.

According to Bloomberg, beyond static smart speakers, Amazon is currently working on a "Alexa domestic robot", which would follow the user throughout the house. The product appears to be about waist-high and has a range of cameras to see and move around. It always seems that this project is in its infancy and that it will not be published for a while.