Amazon on Thursday introduced the Echo Buds Second generation in India. The Echo Buds come with wireless charging capability and hands-free access to Alexa. They are compatible with Android and iOS phones and also support access to Google Assistant and Siri through customisable tap controls.
They are built with a high-performance driver in each earbud. The premium speakers are optimised for increased fidelity in bass and treble, which reduces distortion during media playback, Amazon said.
Users can also control the bass and treble from the equaliser in the Alexa app. They are equipped with Amazon’s Active Noise Cancellation technology, powered by an advanced chipset.
Users can turn on Active Noise Cancellation by pressing and holding either earbud, or by saying, “Alexa, turn on noise cancellation”, or access settings from the Alexa app. Users can enable Passthrough Mode to hear what’s going on around them with a press and hold on either earbud or by saying, “Alexa, turn on Passthrough.”
“With Passthrough Mode on, you can easily adjust the amount of ambient sound you hear through the device settings in the Alexa app,” Amazon explained.
The earbuds come with four ear tip sizes and two wing tip sizes included with the purchase. Users can tailor the fit to what’s most comfortable for them. During set-up, the easy Ear Tip Fit Test in Alexa app can also help users get an optimal fit.
The Echo Buds offer up to five hours of music playback on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation and Alexa wake word On, and the compact case provides two additional charges for a total of up to 15 hours of music playback.
Users can check the battery status while wearing Echo Buds, by saying, “Alexa, what’s my battery status?”. They can also check the battery status in the Alexa app, or open the case while their Echo Buds are inside and the LED lights in front of each earbud will show the battery status.
Echo Buds can be charged via USB-C charger which comes with the box and the wireless option can also be charged with compatible Qi-certified wireless charging pads (to be purchased separately).
In terms of access to content, users can play songs from Amazon Prime Music, Hungama, JioSaavn, Gaana, Apple Music, Spotify or listen to an audiobook from Audible, stories narrated by celebrities from Audible Suno and more via Alexa. A new Alexa feature lets users move music between Alexa devices. They can say “Alexa, move my music to Echo Buds” and continue listening to the music exactly where they left off.
“Echo Buds connect to Alexa through the Alexa app on your mobile device and use your existing device data plan to access features such as music, calling, and more,” Amazon said.
They use a combination of three microphones to detect speech and securely process it for the cloud. “They are built with multiple layers of privacy protections and controls, including the ability to mute the mics with the Alexa app or through the customisable on-bud tap controls,” it said.
Pricing and availability
The new Echo Buds can be purchased from www.amazon.in/echobuds. Echo Buds are available at ₹11,999 for the USB-C wired charging option, and at ₹13,999 for wireless charging case option. Customers can also avail a limited-period discount of ₹1,000 on both options.
