Amazon’s limited Echo expansion hints at Alexa localization plans

ANALYSIS: Amazon dropped something of a curveball on Friday when it announced that its voice-enabled Amazon Echo smart speakers are now officially available to purchase in more than 80 new markets around the world.
Up until now, you could only (officially) procure the speakers in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Germany, Australia, Japan, and India. So the news represents a huge expansion for Amazon, its Alexa digital assistant, and, of course, the Echo devices themselves.
However, there was a major