Amazon Launches Echo Input in India, Brings Alexa to More Speakers

Amazon has launched Echo Input in India that works with non-smart speakers and makes its Alexa-enabled.

Amazon Echo Input is the latest product to launch in India. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Amazon’s first product to launch for the Indian market in 2019 is the Echo Input. This device was first showcased at the company’s global event a few months back, and for Rs 2,999 you’re getting a unit that ensures you don’t have to splurge on the big-size Echo or Echo Plus speakers. You can buy the device via Amazon from 17 January onwards.

Yes, that’s right.

With Echo Input, as Amazon cites, you’ll be able to power any regular speaker lying in a corner and enable it with Amazon’s voice assistant Alexa. Echo Input lets you easily add Alexa to your existing speaker through a 3.5mm audio cable (included in the box) or via Bluetooth, the company said in its statement.

Echo Input gets 3.5-mm audio cable and microUSB 2.0 port. 

Echo Input joins the Echo family of devices, which includes Echo Dot, Echo, Echo Plus, Echo Spot and Echo Sub.

Basically, what Amazon is saying that with Echo Input, you’ve got a device that won’t coerce you into dumping the old speakers and in fact give it a new and smart lease of life.

Echo Inputs comes bundled with a 3.5-mm audio cable. 

Amazon says that all audio is played through the connected speaker rather than through Echo Input itself. Just plug in the 3.5-mm audio cable and you’re good to go.

How Echo Inputs works with non-smart speakers.

You can also adjust the volume of Echo Input with your voice, giving consumers multiple options to get Alexa into their household. Smart move, Amazon.

The Echo Input does not have a volume button. 

In terms of the design, Echo Input is a circular-shaped device with 12.5 mm thickness and available in black colour. This ensures the device easily blends in with your main speaker which is most likely in black colour also. The device can be controlled via the Alexa app, available to both Android as well iOS users.

This is how the Echo Inputs looks.

The most important thing worth knowing, you’ll need to keep the Echo Input powered on, just like the Amazon Fire Stick and the Echo speakers. Amazon bringing Echo Input to India, comes at a time when Google, at least globally has confirmed that it won’t be making or even selling Chromecast Audio in 2019.

This suggests Google might also be working on a device similar to the Echo Input, but supporting its Google Assistant instead.