Foxconn & Compal Cash In On Amazon Smart Speakers
After losing out to Hisense for the sale of Toshiba’s Visual Products business, recent reports reveal Compal is set to cash in on heavy demand for Amazon’s smart speaker series ‘Echo’.
In addition to Compal, Foxconn is also tipped to benefit from heavy holiday demand for Amazon’s smart speakers.
Taiwanese trade publication, DigiTimes, reveals that Compal has already fulfilled Amazon’s orders for the Echo Spot & Echo Show, and is currently working with the e-commerce giant to develop new models for 2018.
Market commentators speculate that Amazon will win big for its smart speaker series in the upcoming holiday period, following Apple’s decision to delay the launch of its smart speaker ‘HomePod’ from December to early next year.Foxconn will reportedly assist Apple’s supply chain, to provide assembly services for its HomePod.
Earlier this year, Foxconn announced it would open a new Chinese production facility specifically for Amazon-related products, and disclosed its intention to ‘beef up’ Amazon’s ‘Echo’ product lines by the end of the year.
In April, Foxconn Electronics revealed it would be teaming several China-based companies to build a production facility in Hengyang, central China, dedicated to producing an array of electrical devices for Amazon.
As part of the ramp up, Foxconn has reportedly added 30 new production lines for “production of audio equipment and tablets”.
Reports state that Foxconn Electronics has been collaborating with Amazon since 2007.