The Echo will be part of the launch, reports The Sydney Morning Herald -- although, Amazon is keeping mum about precise timing and the exact Echo devices it plans to release. We've reached out to the company for more details.

Upon arrival, Alexa will be greeted by the Google Home Mini, which landed in Australia late last month. Meaning, the smart speaker wars will officially heat up Down Under in the new year. The move is hardly surprising, considering Amazon.com is prepping for an imminent Australia launch -- although it clearly didn't happen by Black Friday, as anticipated.

Amazon is also buddying up with Kiwi and Aussie services on local Alexa skills. The new crop will mostly be made up of news and media outlets (according to The Australian), among them Sky News Australia, Fox Sports, Qantas, Dimmi, Coastalwatch, Air New Zealand, TVNZ, Newstalk ZB, and New Zealand Herald.