Amazon reportedly close to launching its own TV in the US

    
    Does Amazon have a branded TV in the wings?
    Geoffrey Morrison/CNET
    Amazon plans to roll out a self-branded TV in the US as early as October, Business Insider reported Thursday. The TVs, expected to be big-screen models in the range of 55 to 75 inches, will include compatibility with the company’s Alexa voice assistant, the news outlet said, citing unidentified sources.
    The US launch has been in the works for nearly two years and involves the company’s Amazon Devices and Lab126 divisions, BI said.
    The TVs are designed and manufactured by third parties, one of which is TCL, Business Insider said, adding that Amazon is also designing another TV in house.
    The company already sells an AmazonBasics TV in India, launching that push late last year. A branded TV in the US could go a long way toward building an Apple-like ecosystem of Amazon devices and services that would include Alexa, Amazon Prime Video and its mammoth retail website.
    The move would also put Amazon in direct competition with electronics giants Samsung, LG and Sony, which often sell their TVs through Amazon’s website.
    Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.