We knew that this year 2018 was going to be the period in which smart speakers were a "boom" in the market. We could already see at CES in Las Vegas how some companies were betting on this new sector, while Apple finally launched its own model, the HomePod. However, we did not have Facebook, another of the valuable players who, apparently, would jump on the bandwagon with two models.
According to the publication DigiTimes, Facebook would be working to bring two smart speakers to the market. What's more, the two code names by which both models are known have become known: "Aloha" and "Fiona". And, be careful, it may seem like a somewhat risky move, but all analysts predict that this year it could reach sales of 50 million units of this type of connected speakers, where Amazon is currently King.
Facebook would bet on two models with touch screens —15 inches according to rumors. And it is that these models not only want to provide a personal assistant service such as Siri or Amazon's Alexa, but they would also bet on communication with users' contacts - not surprising since the main function of a social network should be communication with other people.
So both "Aloha" and "Fiona" would allow make video calls or chats through the Facebook Messenger application in an easy way. Now, of the two models that have been leaked, it seems that Aloha would officially be renamed "Portal". This speaker would have a wide-angle camera that would allow the user's facial recognition and give access to the Facebook profile without having to enter any username and password.
Lastly, Facebook has clear intentions to go head-to-head with Amazon. The models of the online commerce giant also have a model with a touch screen, the Amazon Echo, which is a best seller. However, we must remember that Facebook is also betting on video content. And that may also be one of the clues to mount a 15-inch screen in your future smart speakers and candidates to attend your home in the near future: dates are offered no further than July of this year 2018.