Amazon's (AMZN) Echo Could Succeed iPhone as 'Must Have' Device - NYT

Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN) may have found the Holy Grail of devices: something to succeed Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone as the next must-have consumer electronic.

The NY Times pointed out that Amazon's Echo device may have been equipped with enough improvements since its launch a year ago to become something useful, versus just another gimmick.

The NYT noted that the Echo has a way of sneaking into your routines. When Alexa reorders popcorn for you, or calls an Uber car for you, when your children start asking Alexa to add Popsicles to the grocery list, you start to want pretty much everything else in life to be Alexa-enabled, too.

While Amazon doesn't release official device sales numbers, consumers appear satisfied with the Echo; Amazon's website has the device with an average 4.4 out of 5 stars from over 33,000 reviews. As regular Amazon users, this is rather unheralded.

The Echo runs around $180, but Amazon also released two new versions last week: a portable version and one that can plug into an existing speaker.

Amazon is trading around 1.1 percent lower Wednesday.

You May Also Be Interested In

• Amazon (AMZN) Earlier Said To Receive Comment at Channel Check Firm
• Duolingo (DUOL) to Join S&P MidCap 400; Cable One (CABO) to Join S&P SmallCap 600
• Active options: TSLA NVDA AMD AAPL AMZN UAL META ARM AMC