Last week an interesting Facebook patent came out, hinting at a mobile device with a touchscreen. Back then it was speculated that the device was a smartphone, but then the idea of a smart speaker came up. Now, more details have been revealed and it appears that Facebook has been working on a 15 inch touchscreen display-based speaker of the kind.
It’ll go head to head with Amazon Echo Show, because it has a similar approach, especially if you look at the picture above. However, the 15 inch diagonal is huge and it doubles the screen estate of the Echo Show. Apple has the HomePod, but sans screen, while Google has the Google Home gizmo, also without a display. Amazon is the only one playing this card.
Sources from the supply chain have revealed that Facebook’s secretive lab, Building 8 has been working on this smart speaker for a while now. It’s going to focus more on visual functions, rather than voice recognition, courtesy of the big touchscreen. It’s meant as a social networking hub for the living room and bedroom, apparently. Pegatron handles the production and the chassis will be made of a magnesium – aluminum alloy.
LG display will provide the touch panel with In Cell technology. Small volume production is already en route in China and the release is meant for Q1 2018. Expect more leaks in the following weeks. I for one am not convinced of this format, that sounds like basically a laptop sized Facebook machine to take over the place where you’d keep your gaming console…
