Ecobee launches the next iteration of its smart thermostat-- the Ecobee4, an Amazon Alexa-compatible offering able to act as a wall-mounted Echo device.
Obviously Alexa adds voice-based home climate control, but customers can also use the Ecobee4 for other skill provided by the Amazon assistant, such as asking it for reminders, news or recipes. Voice control comes through built-in far-field microphone, meaning it should pick up voices regardless of location within the room.
The Ecobee4 also offers integration with other home automation systems, including Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit and IFTTT. It is also compatible with the Ecobee wireless room sensor, allowing it to track room occupancy and adjust cooling or heating accordingly, further adding to energy cost savings.
The smart thermostat launch comes with a second announcement from Ecobee-- the company is ready to expand its move into home automation through a smart light switch complete with Alexa voice controls and far-field voice recognition.
The switch should launch later on 2017, while the Ecobee4 starts shipping from May 2017.
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