- Amazon showed off its satellite-internet dishes in new images, including a small 7-inch square model.
- The terminals are comparable to ones from Starlink, Elon Musk's SpaceX satellite internet service.
Elon Musk's Starlink just got a good look at its competition.
Amazon took the wraps off its upcoming Project Kuiper satellite-internet dishes in a blog post on Tuesday, revealing three models — two of which are smaller than its rival Starlink's internet terminals, which are sold through SpaceX.
Amazon says its terminals will be "smaller, more affordable, and more capable" than the competition.
The flat, square terminals connect to Project Kuiper, Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network. The network, which Amazon envisions will include thousands of orbiting satellites, aims to connect unserved or underserved communities around the globe to the internet.
Amazon says its standard model is expected to cost less than $400 each to manufacture. It measures 11 inches by 11 inches and Amazon said it can deliver speeds up to 400 megabits per second.
An even smaller, portable 7-inch square terminal will be Amazon's most affordable option, and a 19-inch by 30-inch terminal will be Amazon's largest and "most capable" design, delivering speeds up to 1 gigabit per second.
Amazon's largest model measures 19 inches by 30 inches, and is said to have download speeds up to 1 gigabit per second.
For now, Amazon hasn't announced consumer pricing and the total service costs to expect once the models become available.
SpaceX's Starlink standard terminal measures at 11.9 inches by 20.2 inches. SpaceX's Starlink has also released two larger, high-performing models designed for businesses and extreme climates, both measuring 20.1 inches by 22.6 inches.
The internet speeds Starlink offers range up to an expected download speed of 250 megabits per second, depending on the service plan.
Insider last year reported that Starlink's download speeds in the US fell during 2022, from 85 megabits per second on average to 50 megabits per second, according to analysis from network intelligence company Ookla. Upload speeds remained the same throughout the year. Starlink first launched the beta version of Starlink internet service in 2020, and now has more than one million users.
A Starlink subscription, which has fluctuated in price since its launch, currently costs $110 per month. That's not including the $600 purchase for the Starlink kit, including a tripod, WiFi router, and terminal.
After some delays, Amazon says it expects to launch its first round of satellites in early 2024. Shortly after the launch, Amazon hopes to turn on internet services for users later that year.