Libratone has announced an update to its Zipp and Zipp Mini speakers, with a new version called, you guessed it, the Zipp 2 and Zipp Mini 2.
The new speakers stick to the popular design of the original Zipp models, with fabric covers and an distinctive zip from which they draw their name, but they are now refreshed and boosted with new technologies.
The important addition is voice control in the form of Amazon Alexa. This will mean you can speak to your Libratone Zipp 2, asking it to play songs, as well as using it for all the other tasks that Alexa excels at, like controlling your smart home, answering your trivia questions or telling you the weather.
Older Zipp devices support Alexa, but you need to tap the button to trigger it, whereas the new version is completely handsfree.
The new speakers join a growing number of connected smart speakers offering an alternative to Amazon's own Echo. Notable speakers have come from the likes of Ultimate Ears and Sonos in the past year.
The Zipp 2 gets a boost to 12 hours of battery life, up from 10 hours on the previous model, and also comes with other connectivity options: it not only offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect.
Libratone tells us that the Zipp 2 now offers a richer sound than the model it replaces and it sounded pretty good before. It still offers 360 degree sound, but there's a new enhanced acoustic reflector so it all sounds better.
The Zipp 2 houses a 4-inch woofer, 1-inch soft dome tweeter and two 4-inch low frequency radiators; the Zipp Mini 2 has a 3-inch woofer, 1-inch soft dome tweeter and two 3.5-inch low frequency radiators.
The new speakers will be available in October, the Libratone Zipp 2 priced at £279 while the Zipp Mini 2 will cost £229.