Harman Kardon’s Cortana-powered Invoke speaker is “coming soon,” according to an official teaser page of the device that was launched by the Stamford, Connecticut-based company earlier today. The product page describing the device was live for a few hours but has been pulled as of this writing, presumably because the marketing division of the consumer electronics manufacturer launched it prematurely. Regardless, the “coming soon” tag that was visible on the page implies that the Invoke will be hitting the market in the near future. The product page was only published on the U.S. version of Harman Kardon’s website, which isn’t surprising in light of the fact that the company has yet to clarify whether its upcoming Internet of Things (IoT) gadget will eventually be launched outside of the United States.
The tube-like design of the speaker looks more similar to the Amazon Echo than the Google Home, though the Invoke is set to directly compete with both. The speaker’s cylindrical body was designed for high-quality, 360-degree sound, Harman Kardon said, adding that the device will also be compatible with Skype. While the now-removed listing didn’t reveal many software-related details about the Invoke, the fact that this Internet-enabled speaker will ship with Cortana and native support for Skype suggests that the gadget may also be compatible with a number of other Microsoft-made products and services. The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant is scheduled to hold its latest Microsoft Build conference this Wednesday, and the timing of the accidental launch of the Invoke’s official product page indicates that the speaker may be officially unveiled later this week.
The IoT gadget will initially be available in Silver and Black, though there’s currently no word on when exactly will it launch or how much it will cost. While more details on the matter are bound to be available shortly, it remains to be seen whether Harman Kardon and Microsoft will be able to come up with a viable alternative to the Google Home and Amazon Echo. In any case, customers interested in purchasing the Invoke will soon be able to register their interest and receive email updates about the availability of the smart speaker.
