CES 2018: JBL ADDS SMART SPEAKER WITH DISPLAY TO LINK FAMILY

Only a few months ago did JBL launch its Link series, four speakers with Google Assistant built-in and now it has added a fifth member to the family, the Link View.

The Link View is a smart display speaker with of course Google Assistant embedded into the device. JBL says it is the first smart speaker to incorporate the Google Assistant with an 8-inch visual display with a touch screen and 5MP front facing camera. JBL says the Link View provides excellent sound quality and is ideal for anyone that consumes a large amount of content daily. Users can view pictures, stream audio and video, ask questions, scan recipes, and video call with family and friends, all with their voice.

Lou Schreurs, VP, Connected Home & Luxury Audio BU, General Management says, “When we launched the LINK series last year it represented a major milestone for us, as the first voice-activated, multi-room speakers to use Google Assistant and deliver Grammy awardwinning JBL sound. Research shows voice activated speakers are no mere novelty. Sixty percent of owners now consider them a necessity. By continuing to enhance their experience by adding HD display with a touch screen and a frontfacing camera, people will find even more ways to make these speakers an important part of their lives, routines and enjoyment.”

The high-resolution touch screen and camera is framed by two front-firing stereo speakers and a rear-facing passive radiator. It is made with premium materials that easily wipe clean, and designed to have a small footprint to take up minimal counter space, the JBL Link View seamlessly integrates into any room in the house

Chris Turkstra, Director, Google Assistant, “With smart displays, we’re bringing the Google Assistant to a new class of device that deliver a fully interactive and visual experience. Smart displays can do everything the Google Assistant speakers can, with the additional benefit of a beautiful touch screen. They make it easy to watch YouTube videos, enjoy personal photos, follow recipes, control smart home devices and more. We’re excited to bring the LINK View to market with JBL and are committed to deliver a helpful, visual Google Assistant experience.”

It will first be released in the US mid-year, however there is no word on when it will reach Australia and no word on pricing.