Amazon Echo now available in Australia

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 01 February 2018

Australians can now get their hands on Amazon's Alexa powered line of Echo speakers, with the e-tail giant today launching the standard Echo, the Echo Dot, and the Echo Plus. Orders made through Amazon's Australian shopfront will ship out in the coming days, and you'll also find the Echo range in JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Telstra, and Myer.

Much like Google Home, the Amazon Echo is a voice-activated speaker. In addition to playing music, the Echo is able to ask questions, and respond to commands that you issue to Alexa. For example, Alexa is able to provide news updates, answer general questions, play tunes, interact with smart home equipment, and get sport scores. Alexa will also let you place Amazon orders in the future, but for now, Australians will only be able to check on their order status.

Amazon has opened up Alexa to third parties, and it can already hook into services like Uber and Spotify. Locally, Energy Australia, Airtasker, Amaysim, Domino's, Taste, Village Cinemas, Qantas, and Westpac have Australia specific skills.

For example, if you're an Amaysim customer, you're able to say "Alexa, ask Amaysim how much data I have left" to check your allowance.

The main differences between the three Echo devices launching in Australia are price and sound quality: the more you spend, the better it will sound. The Echo Plus can however directly interface with smart home devices via the Zigbee standard, which can replace the need for a dedicated hub for certain accessories.

Pricing is as follows:

Echo Dot: $79
Echo: $149
Echo Plus: $229

Amazon's speakers with integrated screens - the Echo Show and Echo Spot - aren't part of the initial launch, but hopefully we'll see them later on.

The Amazon Echo launch follows news that Apple will bring its Siri-powered HomePod to Australia from February 9. While the devices ostensibly compete, Amazon and Apple have taken very different approaches. Amazon want you to fill every room of your house with one of their $79 speakers, but the $499 HomePod is positioned as more of a high-end audio option with some brains behind it. Apple seems to be taking a speaker-first, smart-second approach to the category.

Amazon's music streaming service - Amazon Music Unlimited - is also now available in Australia, with a 90-day free trial offer for new subscriber. Following the free trial, Amazon Music Unlimited will be billed at $11.99 for an individual subscription, or $17.99 for a family subscription supporting up to six users.

While Amazon Music Unlimited isn't dissimilar to the likes of Spotify and Apple Music, one of its unique features is tight integration with Alexa and Echo devices.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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