Facebook might launch connected speaker with 15-inch screen next year

The smart speaker could also use a Facebook-powered digital assistant

Social networking giant Facebook is said to be working on a connected speaker device which will come with a 15-inch touch panel. This device could compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home. 

According to a report in DigiTimes, a news portal based in China, the rumoured speaker is in the works and will launch sometime in the first quarter of 2018. 

The connected device market is gaining momentum and Apple recently showcased a prototype of HomePod, a smart speaker that will go on sale at the end of 2017. Amazon is already backing its smart speaker with its digital assistant Alexa and Google Home is powered by Google Assistant. Keeping the rising trends of smart devices and connected devices in mind, it is speculated that the Facebook-powered connected speaker with 15-inch screen could come with a Facebook-powered digital assistant. 

According to DigiTimes, the speculated Facebook smart speaker is reportedly being developed at Building 8, Facebook’s experimental hardware division which is also working on a bunch of other innovative projects simultaneously.