Intel and Amazon are making it easier for anyone to build an Alexa-enabled speaker

Amazon wants Alexa in as many products as possible, so it’s partnering with Intel to make it easier for manufacturers to incorporate the voice assistant into their devices. The two companies announced plans yesterday to release reference designs for a connected speaker within the first quarter of 2017, which will provide manufacturers with a plan to follow when making a new device.

Amazon opened up its Alexa API around a year and a half ago, and in the time since then, product manufacturers have integrated Amazon’s assistant into various devices, including watches, tablets, and even singing fish. Still, nothing has usurped the original Echo from its dominant position. But with Intel and Amazon partnering up, it’s only a matter of time until we see a bunch of off-brand Echo speakers. Yippee.