JD.com today announced the launch of JD DingDong Play, the first Chinese large-display assistant. The latest version of the smart assistant, which was developed by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com and is powered by Intel, brings new and advanced features into Chinese homes and could revolutionize online shopping.

At the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, JD.com, China’s largest retailer, debuted its advanced smart speaker at the Intel booth. The first personal assistant with a display to be launched in China, JD DingDong Play features an 8-inch LCD screen and integrates facial recognition, a camera and video calling capabilities, making possible a rich new interactive shopping experience. This is the first time that a facial recognition system has been used in a home personal assistant device.

The unique new display and facial recognition capabilities required new levels of computing and processing power, which is why JD DingDong Play, the most advanced flagship product in the industry, incorporates LingLong Tech, and features an Intel Atom® processor. JD and Intel have collaborated to develop a powerful smart voice assistant that recognizes Chinese and can serve hundreds of millions of families in China.

The Intel Atom processor has particularly strong advantages in mobile and smart home devices, including comprehensive performance assurance and advanced processing capabilities; quick response to user commands with seamless connectivity for voice recognition and control; and intelligent audio, video and graphics processing performance that supports multiple still pictures and video stream capture.

“JD.com is already the premier provider of smart speakers in China with a range of available products,” said Dr. Kefeng Li, a Vice President at JD.com. “With today’s launch, JD extends its lead in the smart speaker industry. Combining the power of Intel’s advanced processor with JD’s smart engineering for the future, JD DingDong Play is sure to hasten the transition to a brand-new smart life for families all across China.”

Miles Kingston, general manager of Intel’s Smart Home Group, said, “At the forefront of the Smart Home era, Intel is developing sophisticated cognition with processors powerful enough to harness the data that make devices at the edge truly intelligent—and allow them to connect, communicate, and learn from everyday interactions. By adding facial recognition capabilities to the smart assistant, JD DingDong Play provides a peek into how our homes are evolving to be more perceptive, responsive and autonomous.”

JD Dingdong Play retains the most popular functions of earlier DingDong versions, including calling, weather reports, music play, schedule management, and connectivity to a huge range of smart home products. With the addition of facial recognition, the Play also learns the gender and age of different users, recognizing them with appropriate greetings and will remember preferences after they register their face. The new Play can also monitor the distance between the display and the user when playing video, reminding younger users, for example, when they are too close for comfortable viewing.

With the addition of the camera, the product also integrates photo and video capture functions with facial recognition. For example, a user can take a selfie or family portrait with voice control, and in the “smile” mode, JD DingDong Play will take pictures automatically when it recognizes everyone is smiling. The unit also supports video calling between two JD DingDong Play devices or between it and a mobile phone, which could lead the product to become the home phone of a new generation.

At the same time, the large display significantly improves the shopping experience via smart speaker, an enhancement that customers have requested. The interactive, seamless way of combining voice and visual interfaces makes shopping easier than ever before. Moreover, the Play can also bring a more intuitive experience with AR functionality. For example, before buying lipstick or cosmetics, the user can use the AR feature to preview the colors on her own face.

“JD DingDong Play has attracted widespread attention both within and outside the industry,” said Dr. Li. “Many see the device as a new Internet gateway for families throughout the country. Its creative new uses of facial recognition technology bring new possibilities for smart speakers. We expect this will result in more cutting-edge technologies added to consumer products connected with JD DingDong Play, and greatly promote the development of technology integration. This collaboration highlights the vision and determination of Intel and JD: to work together to create future-oriented product design and to provide an unparalleled user experience.”

JD DingDong Play will be available for sale in China in the first half of 2018.