Amazon may be gearing up to take on Apple's AirPods, report says
Amazon may be getting ready to spread its might yet again. The newest target: Apple's AirPods.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the retail giant may have an alternative to Apple's popular wireless earbuds ready for the second half of the year. Amazon's buds are being developed by the company's Lab126, the group responsible for the Echo, Kindle, Fire TV and Fire tablet devices.
Alexa will be a part of the new buds, the report notes, allowing people to summon Amazon's digital assistant by saying "Alexa" similar to how Apple's latest AirPods and new PowerBeats Pro can allow users to call up Siri by saying "Hey, Siri."
Alexa has been built into other headphones and earbuds before, including those from Jabra and Bose. Amazon's earbuds would need to be connected to a phone for its internet connection, with Bloomberg reporting it won't have its own cellular connectivity.
Like other earbuds, Amazon's buds would be able to charge inside their included case. Black and gray are two possible color options and Bloomberg says Amazon is "striving for better audio quality" than AirPods.
Designwise they would be more similar to the AirPods than the new $249.95 wireless PowerBeats, according to the report, fitting inside the listener's ear as opposed to hooking over it.
The report made no mention of what price Amazon is targeting but notes that the company has traditionally tried to undercut its rivals on price.
An Amazon Basics Lightning cable for an iPhone, for example, currently runs $7 for a 3-foot cable on Amazon while a similar cable from Apple runs $19 from the Apple Store.
Apple's latest AirPods start at $159 (ones with a wireless charging case are $199). Jabra's Elite 65t, which offer Alexa support, start at $169.99.
©2019 USA Today
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
