[News] Amazon Echo Auto Coming to NZ in June 2020

Amazon Australia has announced that the Echo Auto will be available in New Zealand early next month. This device was announced back in late 2018, and was initially released in the US through a beta program. Fast forward to the beginning of 2020, Amazon have released it to a few more markets including India and Europe, and now to Australia and New Zealand consumers.

The first Echo device designed for use on the road, Echo Auto lets you have Alexa as your driving companion, whether in your car, van or truck, for your daily commute or your weekend drive to visit family and friends. With the average age of vehicles being 14.4+ years in New Zealand (2017 data), the Echo Auto offers an inexpensive way to upgrade your car and benefit from a more modern experience with the power of voice.

Echo Auto gives Kiwis the ability to take Alexa on the road with the following uses:

• Listen to an audiobook via Audible while you venture out to grab a coffee.
• Ask Alexa to play Today’s Hits.
• Ask Alexa to read you the news.
• Ask Alexa to read your grocery list to you or manage your calendar.
• Control your compatible smart home devices, using Alexa to announce to the family you’re nearly home, or turn off the lights if you’ve forgotten.
• Call home by asking Alexa to ‘Drop In’ to one of your Echo devices back home.
• Ask Alexa to show you directions on your connected smartphone, through Google Maps, Apple Maps or other supported apps.

The Echo Auto incorporates an eight-microphone array which has been designed to account for challenging in-car acoustics, enabling Alexa to hear utterances over music, air con, and road noise. And if you don’t want the device to eavesdrop on your road-trip conversations, there is a physical mute button to turn the microphones off.

It is powered with a micro-USB cable and can be plugged in to your car’s integrated USB port or cigarette lighter. Its audio output can be connected to your car’s stereo through Bluetooth (if your car supports this) or via the 3.5mm auxiliary jack.

Echo Auto connects to Alexa through the Alexa app on your phone and uses your existing smartphone data plan for connectivity and other features.

The Echo Auto will be available in-stores from June 10 at JB Hi-Fi and Noel Leeming, with an RRP of $89NZD.

For more information, please visit: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B078YNKDZS?tag=nztech-20

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