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Last week, Apple staged one of its famous product launches with flash video and pop music to reveal the company's latest high-tech gadgets: powerful new iPhones and an Apple Watch update with a heart monitor approved by the FDA.
On Thursday, Amazon held its own initiative during which they launched a voice-activated microwave.
Both events highlighted notable differences between the two tech giants, which recently became the first and second US public companies valued at $ 1 trillion. Apple relies on its technology sales for its core business, while Amazon focuses on the retail market in the broad sense.
But microwaves are not going to change the net result of Amazon. At least not yet.
"Much of what Amazon has done – and it has the flexibility to do so because its shareholders are incredibly patient – is an experience," said Charlie O. Shea, senior analyst at Moody & # 39; Investors Service. "It's a little risky, if it works, great.If that's not the case, I do not think anyone will say" Amazon failed with this microwave "."
Amazon has announced more than 70 new devices, features and development tools during Thursday's event, including a range of new devices incorporating the company's Alexa voice assistant. The microwave oven, however, was the star of the series, sparking a range of social media reactions, extensive coverage in the field of advanced technology and an abundance of Google search traffic.
Initial reactions to the product were reasonably positive.
Alexa's "Amazon's First Microwave-Activated Microwave Printing: It's a Microwave" tweeted Dieter Bohn, editor of the digital technology publication The Verge, who examined the device.
In appearance, Amazon might seem to play a game very different from Apple, but Andrew Lipsman, senior analyst at research firm eMarketer, said that Amazon operated differently.
"I feel kind of like Amazon playing chess when everyone plays the ladies when it comes to voice," Lipsman said.
Lipsman said the microwave oven is part of Amazon's broader strategy to be a leader in voice technology. While it may sound trivial to get users talking to their microwaves, he noted that Amazon's connected speaker offerings have already begun to change the way people interact with their devices.
"You're trying to create a new behavior among consumers, so what you need to do is start with the simpler use cases to get consumers used to," Lipsman said.
Amazon and Apple are in direct competition for voice technology. In October 2011, Appli launched its assistant, Siri, to launch the era of modern voice technology. A little over three years later, Amazon launched its Echo loudspeaker, which had the first iteration of his assistant Alexa.
Since then, both companies have been leaders in voice technology, but Google has also made significant progress. Amazon's previous dominance of the connected speaker market has now been replaced by fierce competition with Google.
But Amazon's goal is not to sell speakers, said O. Shea. The company wants to convert more people to its membership in Amazon Prime, a package of offers and services, including original videos and two-day deliveries that cost $ 119 a year.
According to Mr. O. Shea, the Amazon microwave oven, which costs $ 59.99, is a way to get Alexa to settle in more homes and in the daily lives of people who are more likely to join Amazon Prime.
"This is just one more way to get Alexa home and integrate her technology, services, products into more homes and deepen those relationships," he said. "These leading members are driving this retail business, and Alexa is generating more Prime memberships."
The signs of this strategy were broadcast throughout the presentation of Amazon. The company has announced its first device to bring Alexa to cars, with a speaker capable of synchronizing with a customer's smartphone and providing services such as directions. It has also launched a development tool called Connect Kit, which opens the door to other companies that develop Alexa in their devices, which could expand the reach of Amazon without having to develop products themselves.
Lipsman said he thought it was just the beginning of Amazon's efforts to make Alexa the future of computing, giving them even more dominance in the growing e-commerce market.
"When I say that Amazon is playing chess, I think you can watch all these moves and see them as Amazon pull out their pawns and set up their attack," Lipsman said. "The real aggressive moves will happen in a few years."
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