Local retailers such as JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman have beat JBL Australia to the chase, by releasing the new ‘Link View’ before the brand’s local website, at a cheaper price.

Whilst JBL Australia have opened pre-orders for the Link View on its website (here), the $369.96 device is “expected in-stock” next week on November 2.

By contrast, JBL’s Link View is available to buy from both JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman now, at a comparatively cheaper $349.

The 8-inch ‘Link View’ will further intensify competition in the hybrid display-smart speaker market, competing with Lenovo’s Smart Display, Amazon’s Echo Show and Google’s Hub.

Powered by Google Assistant, JBL’s Link View pledges rich stereo sound with deep bass – in line with the brand’s reputation.

In contrast to Google’s Hub, the Link View incorporates a 5MP front facing camera for HD video calling.

Similar to Lenovo’s Echo Show, the Link View features a ‘PrivacySwitch’ to shut the camera’s lens and mute its microphone for added privacy.

The Link View is IPX4 certified, and claims to be slash-proof for ease of use in a kitchen.

With Bluetooth and built-in Chromecast, users can wirelessly stream music from their smartphone or tablet.

Full product specifications are available on JBL’s website here.