British music entertainment brand Electric Jukebox is entering the world of voice control, which is set to play a major role in the music business in 2018.
Amazon Echo devices are expected to sell well this Christmas, Sonos has launched a London concept store to tie in with the launch of its Alexa-enabled smart speaker and Amazon Music Unlimited has extended voice control to its mobile app. In perhaps the most significant development, Apple has confirmed it plans to acquire Shazam as the tech giant prepares to launch its HomePod device.
Now Electric Jukebox is rolling out its voice command feature, Smart Voice, in early 2018. It is designed to make the ROXI music entertainment experience easier and more intuitive.
The ROXI device has five features to help families play, sing, listen, dance and relax together. The brand has invested in its on-screen and in-app experience, centred around the TV, and provides access to millions of songs as well as features including karaoke, music games and worldwide radio.
“Families want easy access to music entertainment experiences in the home; being able to enjoy musical moments together effortlessly and without the worry of complex streaming apps, computers and tech,” said Rob Lewis, CEO of Electric Jukebox. “Smart Voice dramatically simplifies access to music entertainment in the home and we’re already testing it in consumer devices, so we can be ready for launch early next 2018.
“Our long-term vision is to integrate ROXI and future Electric Jukebox products into the connected home. We see a future whereby Electric Jukebox experiences are augmented with third-party products and services creating beautifully simple, engaging and immersive music experiences for the connected home which improve family life.”
In August, Electric Jukebox announced plans to enter the US market and a $14 million (£11.8m) funding round.
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