Facebook Smart Speakers Codenamed Aloha, Fiona Launching In July

Contrary to earlier reports, Facebook isn’t going to debut its Amazon Echo Show competitor in May. Mark Zuckerberg’s company has reportedly decided to delay the release of its Portal-named smart speaker and the other model that’s currently known for its codename, “Fiona.”

DigiTimes recently learned from supply chain sources that Facebook won’t be launching its highly anticipated Portal smart speaker — internally referred to as “Aloha” — this coming May. The company has opted to reschedule its debut because it still needs more time to perfect the device’s acoustic quality and make some changes to its software.

Instead of May, Facebook is targeting a mid-2018 release, with sources claiming that the device could most likely launch in July at the latest. Portal won’t debut solo because the company is also working on another smart speaker that’s known internally by developers as Fiona.

Both designed by Facebook’s Building 8 hardware lab, Portal and Fiona will sport 15-inch in-cell touchscreen panels. The distinctions between the two are not clear at this point, but Portal is believed to be the more sophisticated variant. However, it’s quite clear that Facebook is grooming the upcoming smart speakers to be direct rivals of Amazon’s best-selling device, the Echo Show.

Amazon outfitted the Echo Show with a 7-inch screen so that it could have a display panel that serves as an extension of the device’s functions. For example, it could show the entire recipe of a dish while Alexa dictates the instructions. What Facebook has in mind when it decided to include 15-inch touchscreens into its smart speakers, however, is a bit different. Facebook wants its smart speakers to have a display that will be useful in video chats and various social features of its platform.

Facebook also appears to be planning a grand entrance into the smart speaker market with its Portal device. The premium smart speaker will not only use voice commands, it will also have facial recognition technology so it could identify the users who are trying to access it. Portal will a wide-angle lens up front for this purpose.

In addition, Facebook is also trying to strongly compete with Apple’s HomePod. The company is reportedly doing its best to ensure stellar quality of its smart speakers. When Apple released its Siri-powered smart speaker, many applauded its sound quality. Facebook could be planning the same thing for its speakers. After all, the company has signed licensing deals with Sony and Universal Music.

Other interesting information that DigiTimes disclosed pertain to Facebook’s partners. While Zuckerberg’s firm is getting its supply of 15-inch display panels from LG display, its smart speakers’ sole assembler will be Taiwanese company Pegatron, one of Apple’s partners. Both LG Display and Pegatron declined to comment on the leaked information though.