“Amazon will reportedly launch a pair of true wireless earbuds equipped with “Alexa”, its AI assistant, in the second half of this year. It will be interpreted as Amazon’s attempt at getting into the mobile industry and freeing Alexa from being used on stationary smart speakers. The device will get Alexa into the ears of more people. It is worth a try for Amazon and there seems to be many positive aspects to Amazon’s entry. Alexa-equipped hearables could mark Amazon’s renewed steps into mobile hardware. If it has a sort of stylish hardware and advanced features, it could be a cheaper alternative to AirPods. It is apparent that access to Alexa could be more appealing for some people than access to Siri, as Alexa can be used to order goods from Amazon directly and Amazon’s ecosystem is more open than Apple’s. Amazon could also take aggressive markdowns including offering its new gadget in Prime deals and bundles for cheap during the Black Friday sales to increase market share.” – Liz Lee