Amazon went above and beyond today in terms of launching stuff – it debuted not one, not two, but six brand new devices at an event held at its HQ[1]. One of the most interesting things it did today was not any particular piece of hardware it designed or built – but the way it’s selling the Echo Plus, the version of its Echo smart speaker with an integrated smart home hub.
The Echo Plus comes bundled with a Philips Hue lightbulb as part of a limited time launch offering, with no additional cost vs. the standard Echo Plus at $149. The Echo Plus also supports devices from a long list of other connected home device makers, including GE, Kwikset and more.
That makes the Echo Plus still cheaper than the Echo itself, by about $30, which is a great deal for the speaker and the bulb, which normally retails on its own for about $20. Plus, Amazon including a smart home hub in the mix is also a cost savings when you take into account how much these generally cost on their own – without anything so useful as a built-in Bluetooth speaker with decent audio quality.
Amazon’s goal here is clear: Jump start the smart home market by giving Echo users a taste of what they’re missing out with zero risk. A lot of people probably either tried smart home tech in its early days and got burned, or just haven’t been willing to put down any of their hard-earned cash on something that isn’t widely appreciated or understood; a Philips Hue bulb is a good, reliable starter kit to get people excited about connected homes, even if they haven’t been too keen on it in the past.
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