Amazon Echo now available in India online invite-free and in retail stores

Amazon is finally ditching its invite system for Echo devices sold in India. Consumers in the region can now pick up an Alexa-powered smart speaker instantly from the online retailer.

The second-generation Echo product range launched in India back in October, but at the time, potential buyers had to first wait on an invite request to be accepted. This whole process ended up taking a couple of weeks, which isn’t an ideal situation whichever way you look at it.

Now, however, consumers in India can place an order for the base Amazon Echo model (Rs. 9,999), the Echo Dot (Rs. 4,499), or the Echo Plus (Rs. 14,999) as they would with any other product on Amazon. Alternatively, the range will also be available in over 350 retail stores across 20 cities, including Croma, Crossword, and Reliance Digital.

For those after a third-party speaker with Alexa, the Harman Kardon Allure is also available for Rs. 22,499, as is the Eufy Genie for Rs. 3,999 (currently down from Rs. 5,000), although the latter is still invite-only.

Unfortunately, unlike during the initial launch period, Amazon is no longer offering a free 12-month subscription to Amazon Prime, so if you’re after fast shipping, Prime Video, and exclusive discounts, you’ll have to pay up the usual subscription price.

With Google yet to bring its Home smart speaker range to India, it seems that Amazon is in a good spot to take yet another early lead in the nascent market. You can pick up an Amazon Echo smart speaker via the Amazon.in button below.