Amazon is probably going to release another Echo speaker later this year

How many Echo devices is too many? How dare you even ask.

Amazon is reportedly planning to release another Echo later this year, according to Engadget. Adding another Echo to the lineup would bring the total number of Alexa-enabled smart speakers to five (six if you count the Tap speaker), and it would be the third new one to launch this year.

The new Echo will reportedly come with a number of improvements over the regular Echo. Per Engadget, the new smart speaker will be smaller — about the size of three Echo Dots stacked together — and will come with rounder edges and a new cloth-like exterior, mirroring the Google Home and Apple's upcoming HomePod.

Amazon is also reportedly enhancing the sound quality by including several tweeters. Alexa could also see improvement from better far-field microphones.

Not bad! A smaller, prettier design to compete with Google Home and better sound to punch right into HomePod's gut.

The only thing the new Echo would need to fend off its competitors would be a kickass price. In all fairness, Amazon could sell the new Echo for the same $180 price today and still do well.

The big question is, how many people will care to replace their original Echos? A colleague just asked me yesterday on Prime Day if he should get the Echo or Echo Dot. I recommended the Dot and told him to just connect it to a Bluetooth speaker for better sound.

The Echo is not a device that needs to be upgraded annually, kind of like a TV. There's no need to replace the Echo when all of its AI is cloud-powered, and can be upgraded on the backend.

Amazon recently released the Echo Show with a 7-inch touchscreen and the Echo Look is rolling out as an invite-to-buy product later this year.

So again, we ask, how many Echos is too many? Even Amazon may not know. The plan seems to be to just keep pumping them out at different prices. If you keep buying 'em, they'll keep selling 'em.