On Friday, the first supposed image of Amazon's rumored Echo device with a touchscreen leaked via AFTVNews, which has been reliable in the past.
The device shown in the pixelated image looks somewhat clunky, and you could argue its design appears dated. Its sharp edges, corners, and overall look bears little resemblance to Amazon's sleek Echo devices with their rounded designs.
Still, the picture supports a Bloomberg report from November that claimed the device will have a touchscreen that "tilts upwards." And as we still don't know exactly what the rumored device will be able to do, its capabilities could help critics overlook its seemingly dated design.
The new Echo device will reportedly feature a 7-inch touchscreen and better speakers than the current Echo. The leaked photo seems to suggest there could be a front-facing camera for video calls, which would make sense. We'd also expect it to come with Amazon's Alexa digital assistant inside.
An earlier report from The Wall Street Journal claimed the touchscreen would add a visual element to Alexa's services, which could be useful for displaying information, like calendar agendas, in a more digestible way.
Bloomberg claimed in its report that the device would cost more than the top-end Amazon Echo. AFTVNews reports it'll cost between $200 and $300, and that it'll be released some time in May. Of course, unless it comes directly from Amazon, any detail regarding new Amazon products should be considered unconfirmed.
Exclusive: This is Amazon's new Echo with a built-in touchscreen https://t.co/MSKgWni50S pic.twitter.com/YJewy8dSfE
- AFTVnews (@AFTVnews) May 5, 2017