Audio sharing platform Ximalaya FM launches smart speaker to aid Communist Party members with studies

Ximalaya FM, a Chinese audio sharing platform, has introduced a smart speaker aimed at helping Chinese Communist Party members improve party knowledge during their spare time.

The smart speaker, designed with a red-coloured body and a Party emblem on the front, contains a collection of audio content on Party classes to allow time-challenged members to brush up on their knowledge when convenient, according to information provided by the company.

Ximalaya said the Party-specific speaker – launched in July 2018 – is a tailor-made product based on its popular smart speaker Xiaoya, and is only open to orders from Party organisations above the county level in China and is not for retail sale.

The collection of audio content on Party classes is only available on the tailor-made Party model, while Xiaoya – priced at between 549 yuan (US$80) and 899 yuan at official retail stores on Tmall – does not have access to the content, according to Ximalaya FM.

Smart speakers, which connect and deploy internet-based electronic products through artificial intelligence (AI)-backed voice assistants, have become a popular kit in China and major technology giants including Alibaba Group Holding, Xiaomi and JD.com have all launched smart-speaker products to tap a market that is forecast to reach nearly US$23 billion in 2018, according to Juniper Research.