Deutsche Telekom has launched its own smart speaker at the IFA show in Berlin. The long-delayed Magenta speaker – co-developed with Orange - is the first smart speaker made in Europe, the company says. It's offering it at the discounted price of EUR 99 until the end of October, and then EUR 149.99.
Alternatively, customers can take out a rental contract for EUR 4.95 a month. Activated with the voice command 'hallo magenta' the speaker is designed to work as a home hub, integrating with DT's MagentaTV, Magenta SmartHome and telephony services. Customers can use the voice commands to control the TV and smart home devices as well as make and receive phone calls.
Enhanced privacy
Telekom is betting on enhanced privacy and security controls, in line with EU rules, to help give its product an edge over products from the likes of Amazon and Google already on the German market. A touch of a button ensures the microphones are turned off. Nevertheless, it has integrated support for Amazon Alexa as well in the device, plus other apps for activities such as radio, music (Spotify Connect), weather and shopping.
Following recent problems with other manufacturers found to be listening in on customers of smart speakers, Deutsche Telekom made clear that customers will be made aware from the start that their voice could be used to improve functioning on the digital assistant, including by humans checking the recordings, and they can withdraw their consent for this at anytime. They will have the option to delete all and related data within 90 days.
New hardware: mesh Wi-Fi and MagentaTV Box
Telekom unveiled other new hardware at IFA as well. This includes the 'WLAN Paket plus' for EUR 9.95 per month, offering two Speed Home mesh Wi-Fi units to improve home network coverage, extra customer service to optimise the network and a 90-day money-back guarantee. A single Speed Home unit was first introduced in July.
The operator is showing a new MagentaTV Box with integrated mesh Wi-Fi as well. Available from mid-November, the new box offers an easier connection for the TV box to the local network and also serves as another Wi-Fi mesh point in the home. In addition, Telekom said it is expanding its MagentaTV app to work on Samsung smart TVs running the Tizen OS.
Support for more devices is also being added to the Magenta SmartHome platform. These include the Gaggenau and Neff brand appliances from Bosch-Siemens, the Logitech HarmonyHub, the new Sonos speaker from Ikea, cameras from Netatmo and the Tado air conditioning controller. Telekom earlier announced that the smart home platform is also integrating with its CarConnect system.
