ABI Research Amazon Echo Dot Teardown: Voice Command Makes a Power Play in the Smart Home Market
In its recent teardown of the Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation), ABI Research uncovers that the eCommerce giant chose to undergo a number of significant cost reductions in design to bring voice command functionality to the masses at an even lower price point. An interesting move and one that validates voice command’s growing role in the smart home market, the Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) proves to be a lower cost voice gateway as compared to the economically-priced, first-generation model.
“Interestingly, Amazon shaved considerable margin from its first-generation Echo Dot, which retailed for $89.99 with a bill of materials, or BOM, of $45.39,” says Jim Mielke, Managing Director and Vice President at ABI Research. “The second-generation model retails for $49.99 with a BOM of $34.87. Emphasizing cost reduction in the lower tier of the Echo product line is an obvious move by Amazon to bring voice command functionality to a larger, lower income market.”
The Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation) migrates away from a Texas Instruments chipset to one supplied by Taiwanese semiconductor company MediaTek, which continues to show a growing presence in mobile ICs through its cellular modems, application processors, and connectivity chips.
On the other end of the spectrum, ABI Research finds that the Google Home retails at a $129 price point with an estimated BOM of $43.44. While the Google Home does feature higher-end audio, it remains to be seen as to whether or not Google will follow Amazon’s lead with a device aimed at the sub $50 market.
“Taking into account all the emerging voice command devices recently infiltrating the smart home market, smart speaker manufacturer Fabriq may actually prove to be the dark horse to watch,” concludes Mielke. “Retailing at the same price point as the Echo Dot, the smart speaker incorporates Amazon Alexa functionality, uses a MediaTek chipset, and works in battery mode as a Bluetooth speaker for remote music streaming, relying on a mobile handset to connect to the Internet. A comparable Echo alternative, Fabriq may just give Amazon a run for its money.”
These findings are from ABI Research’s Teardowns, which include high-resolution photos and x-rays, pinpoint power measurements, detailed parts lists, and block diagrams.
About ABI Research
ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology solution providers and end-market companies. We serve as the bridge that seamlessly connects these two segments by providing exclusive research and expert guidance to drive successful technology implementations and deliver strategies proven to attract and retain customers.
ABI Research 是一家全球性的技术情报公司，拥有得天独厚的优势，充当终端市场公司和技术解决方案提供商之间的桥梁，通过提供独家研究和专业性指导，推动成功的技术实施和提供经证明可吸引和留住客户的战略，无缝连接这两大主体。
For more information about ABI Research’s services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com.
Contact ABI Research
Media Contacts
Americas: +1.516.624.2542
Europe: +44.(0).203.326.0142
Asia: +65 6950.5670
