What Is Amazon Tap? A Thorough Look at the Short-Lived Alexa Speaker

Hey there! If you‘re reading this, you‘re probably wondering, "What is Amazon Tap?" I‘m William Decker, an experienced Amazon seller, and I‘m here to give you the full scoop on this little-known Alexa smart speaker.

In a nutshell, the Amazon Tap was Amazon‘s first attempt at a portable, battery-powered Bluetooth speaker with Alexa voice assistant integration. It was released in 2016 but discontinued just two years later in 2018.

Tap was innovative at the time for bringing Alexa on the go. But issues like requiring a manual mic button push meant it never fully delivered on its hands-free potential.

I closely followed the Amazon Tap during its brief tenure, and even got to test one out myself. So I‘ve got the insider details to walk you through everything this Alexa predecessor was capable of, why Amazon ultimately scrapped it, and whether it‘s still possible to buy the Tap speaker today. Let‘s dive in!

A Pioneer That Didn‘t Pan Out: TheAmazon Tap Story

Before we get into the Tap‘s features, let‘s rewind a bit to understand the timeline of its rise and fall:

• November 2014 – The 1st generation Amazon Echo smart speaker is released, introducing Alexa to the world. It‘s a surprise hit.

• March 2016 – Amazon hopes to expand the Alexa market with the Amazon Tap, their first portable Bluetooth speaker with built-in Alexa voice control. It costs $129.99 USD.

• October 2016 – The Amazon Echo Dot launches at just $49.99, offering a budget Alexa speaker.

• 2018 – After less than two years on the market, Amazon quietly discontinues the Tap as sales lag behind the Echo and Echo Dot.

So essentially the Tap was an experimental spin on the Alexa concept between the original Echo and the Echo Dot‘s releases. And it never managed to gain its own solid footing.

But at the time, the Tap really did represent the exciting potential for an Alexa device you could take anywhere! Too bad the execution didn‘t quite live up to expectations…

Next, let‘s dig into how the Amazon Tap worked and what you could do with it.

Alexa On the Move: What Could the Amazon Tap Do?

The Amazon Tap delivered Alexa voice assistance in a portable, Bluetooth-connected package. Here were some of its key features and capabilities:

• Portable and pocket-sized – 9.25 inches tall but only 2.6 inches in diameter made Tap very grab-and-go-friendly. Its compact shape and 10.4 ounce weight meant easy mobility.

• Rechargeable battery for up to 9 hours – The Tap‘s lithium-ion battery promised up to 9 hours of continuous playback per charge. Not as long as some Bluetooth speakers, but decent battery life for the time.

• Bluetooth and WiFi dual connectivity – The Tap could connect via Bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet from up to 33 feet away. It also supported WiFi connectivity to access internet services, stream audio, and link with smart home devices.

• Omnidirectional 360° audio – Dual stereo speakers with Dolby audio hardware provided an immersive listening experience in all directions.

• Access to all Alexa skills – The Tap gave you full access to Alexa‘s growing array of voice commands, "skills," smart home functions, general knowledge, entertainment options, and more.

• Button mic activation – This was the key limitation – you had to manually tap the mic button on the front to activate Alexa instead of hands-free hot word triggering.

So in many ways, the Amazon Tap was like a smaller, wireless version of the Echo smart speaker. But the need to press a button kind of defeated the goal of quick, convenient voice control.

Next I‘ll break down the physical design and aesthetics of the Tap hardware itself.

Pushing All the Right Buttons: Amazon Tap Design & Hardware

Here‘s a quick overview of the Amazon Tap‘s physical characteristics:

• Cylindrical body – The narrow, tube-shaped build made it easy to grasp and manipulate the device in your hand.

• Rubberized base – The wider bottom was made of grippy rubber that kept the Tap stable and prevented sliding on surfaces.

• Interchangeable shells – The plastic body came in black or white, with optional colorful interchangeable shells sold separately.

• Microphone button – Located prominently on the front, this physical button activated Alexa. The mic icon lit up when listening to voice commands.

• Action button – The top button controlled play/pause, volume, song skipping, and other basic media functions.

• Light ring – An LED light ring circled the upper portion and reacted to Alexa‘s status, like blinking when processing.

• Black plastic top – The top surface was a smooth black panel with integrated buttons. It twisted off to reveal the battery and charging port underneath.

• Fabric covering – The dual speakers were covered with a durable black mesh fabric. This let sound freely pass through while protecting the speakers.

So despite its portable form, the Tap still shared the Echo‘s futuristic aesthetic and handy indicator lights. But that front-mounted microphone button was the obvious differentiator.

And it was ultimately the reason why the Tap fell out of favor. Let‘s analyze the downfall next.

The Tapping Point: Why Amazon Discontinued the Tap

The Amazon Tap seemed full of potential as Alexa‘s first portable incarnation. So why did Amazon unceremoniously discontinue it just two years later? Based on my seller experience, here are the likely reasons:

• No hands-free access – Needing to manually tap the button before issuing voice commands defeated the purpose of quick, convenient voice assistance.

• Minimal cost savings – At $129.99, the Tap was only $50 cheaper than the flagship Echo, limiting its value proposition.

• Stiff Echo Dot competition – The Echo Dot delivered Alexa in a tiny package for just $49.99, making the Tap seem unnecessary.

• Underwhelming speaker performance – Its audio quality didn‘t impress critics, especially for the price. And volume was lacking compared to top Bluetooth speakers.

• Middling sales and reviews – Lackluster market response from the start signaled weak demand. Amazon Tap ratings sat at just 3.5 out of 5 stars on average.

• Consumer confusion – Many buyers didn‘t understand the difference between the Tap and full Echo/Echo Dot. Amazon failed to effectively distinguish it.

• Shift towards Echo brand – Ultimately, retiring the one-off Tap let Amazon focus on advancing its core Echo line of Alexa smart speakers rather than splitting efforts.

In the end, the Amazon Tap fell victim to both internal and external forces. Amazon likely realized supporting the Tap wasn‘t the best use of resources in an increasingly competitive smart speaker market.

So is there any way for the curious or nostalgic to still get their hands on the Amazon Tap today? Let‘s find out.

Limited Legacy: Getting Your Hands on an Amazon Tap Now

Since the Amazon Tap was discontinued years ago, brand new units are long gone. But here are a few ways you may still be able to snag this short-lived Alexa precursor:

• Check Amazon Renewed – Amazon‘s own refurbished offerings will be your best bet for finding a Tap in like-new condition with a warranty. But supply is very limited.

• Look for used Taps online – Your chances are slim, but you might spot a used Amazon Tap for sale on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. Expect to pay a premium though.

• Find retailer overstock – Brick-and-mortar discount stores could potentially still have leftover new stock they‘re looking to unload. It‘s rare but worth checking bargain retailers just in case.

• Search on auction sites – On auction platforms like eBay, people sometimes list rare or collectible tech. Maybe you‘ll luck out and find a Tap, likely pre-owned. But expect stiff competition from bidders.

Used Tap Price Range: $50 – $300+

So in summary – yes, it‘s still possible to buy an Amazon Tap speaker these days with some serious searching. But don‘t expect easy or affordable availability after all this time off the market.

Let‘s wrap up with a quick look at how the Tap compares to other key Alexa smart speakers over the years.

How Does the Amazon Tap Compare to Other Alexa Devices?

The Amazon Tap kicked off Alexa‘s evolution into a platform available across tons of Amazon devices. Here‘s an at-a-glance comparison to other major Alexa smart speakers:

As you can see, the Amazon Tap was just one stepping stone along the way as Amazon refined the Alexa smart speaker concept into the comprehensive Echo lineup we know today.

The Bottom Line on the Amazon Tap

The Amazon Tap broke new ground as Alexa‘s first portable speaker back in 2016. But issues like lackluster audio and no hands-free voice control really limited its appeal. When the Echo Dot came along offering Alexa in a tiny, affordable package, the Tap‘s fate was sealed.

Still, the Tap was an important experiment on Amazon‘s road to Alexa ubiquity. Its legacy lives on through devices like the Echo Dot with Clock or Echo Flex that fulfill the Tap‘s vision of Alexa mobility.

So in summary:

• What is Amazon Tap? A short-lived, portable Bluetooth speaker with Alexa voice control via a manually pressed microphone button.

• Why was the Amazon Tap discontinued? Lack of hands-free access and stiff competition from Echo Dot rendered it obsolete.

• Can you still buy the Amazon Tap? Yes, but only used/refurbished, and units are extremely limited.

Hopefully this guide gave you a comprehensive overview of Amazon‘s historic Tap speaker! Let me know if you have any other questions.