Facebook is working on an unreleased video Chat device called Aloha, people familiar with the matter told Business Insider.
The company's Oculus subsidiary started selling the high-end Rift VR headset in January 2016, but Facebook hopes that Aloha will have more mass market appeal.
With a large touchscreen, speakers, and camera for making video calls, the device is intended to compete directly with the $229 Amazon Echo Show , which was released in June.
Facebook has hired top computer vision and AI experts to make the camera automatically frame shots and recognize objects in view.
To assuage concerns about privacy, Facebook has considered creative ways to market Aloha, including pitching it as a device for letting the elderly easily communicate with their families.
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