Amazon to unveil new products at Wednesday press event

Amazon is expected to unveil new products and services on Wednesday, likely in the form of Alexa-infused gadgets for the house at different price points.

The company is hosting a press event at its Seattle headquarters, starting at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET. Analysts anticipate the launch of new Echo smart speakers with a greater focus on smart-home automation, including a low-cost Alexa device for parts of the house where you don’t spend a ton of time but still want to be able to access a virtual assistant, such as the garage or on a flight of stairs.

Amazon could also unveil a high-end Echo speaker — with a matching price tag — to compete with some of the companies that already offer Alexa-compatible premium speakers, such as those from Sonos. It may also unveil a a pair of Alexa-enabled wireless earbuds, according to some reports.

Over the past five years, the market for smart speakers that use virtual assistants has ballooned. According to data from tech market researcher Canalys, companies including Amazon, Google, and Baidu shipped 26.1 million smart speakers in the second quarter of this year. Amazon is sitting on top of this market: Canalys reports Amazon shipped a quarter of these speakers, or an estimated 6.6 million between April and June.

Amazon has been working to keep its momentum: Last September, Amazon introduced Alexa-controlled products ranging from the expected (more Echo smart speakers) to the surprising (a $60 AmazonBasics microwave that can warm food via voice commands — such as, “Alexa, heat up one cup of coffee” — when used with an Echo device).