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Amazon announced six Echo and smart-home products and features on Wednesday, ranging from an upgraded Echo Dot to Alexa Home Map. Several devices are available to preorder or buy now, while the home-mapping feature is due in preview later this year. Prices and availability vary by product.
Amazon announced six Echo and smart-home updates on Wednesday, including a larger Echo Show 16, an Echo Dot with a built-in smart-home hub and a camera-equipped Echo Studio. The announcements also include a smart photo frame, an alarm clock with an optional sleep-based wake feature and a planned interactive map of connected home devices.
The updated Echo Show 16 has a 16-inch display in an aluminum frame that Amazon says is nearly 40 percent thinner than its predecessor. It adds an optional Nanomatte screen to reduce glare, revised speakers and a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera. Amazon says the device has 20 percent more computing power and an upgraded Omnisense platform for features such as adjusting heating based on room temperature or switching on a light when someone enters. It is available for preorder at $499.99, or $569.99 with the Nanomatte option.
The Echo Dot now includes a smart-home hub, Omnisense sensing and an Eero Wi-Fi extender, as well as Amazon’s AZ3 chip and four microphones. Amazon says its full-range driver provides 50 percent more bass than the previous generation. It is available for $99.99 in four colors. The new Echo Studio with Home Camera costs $249.99, with a separate stand priced at $39.99. Its camera can provide a live view of a room, and Amazon says users can ask Alexa about objects shown to it. Fire TV video-call support is planned for a later date.
Amazon’s other announcements include the Alexa Photo Frame, a 10-inch touchscreen that syncs with Amazon Photos and can select pictures using Alexa Plus. Prices start at $199.99. The Echo Time is a 3.2-inch touchscreen alarm clock priced at $199.99; its optional smart alarm can wake a user 10 to 60 minutes before the set time, based on Amazon’s Omnisense technology. A Kids version starts at $209.99. Finally, Alexa Home Map is an interactive 3D map of a home and its connected devices. Amazon says it will begin previewing the feature later this year.
Echo Moves Beyond Speakers
The announcements put more emphasis on home automation and sensing than on speakers alone. The Echo Dot’s built-in hub could let customers control compatible devices without buying a separate hub, while Omnisense features are intended to connect room conditions or presence with automated actions.
The new products also place cameras and Alexa features in more parts of the home. Amazon describes the Echo Studio camera as a way to check a room remotely and ask about items in view. The proposed Home Map would bring devices such as cameras, lights and locks into one visual interface. Those features may appeal to people already using Amazon’s smart-home products, though the practical value depends on compatibility, setup and how well the features work in everyday use.
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Six Announcements, Different Timelines
The launch is part of a series of fall hardware announcements from Amazon. The products span several categories: display speakers, a standalone digital frame, an alarm clock and a software feature for managing connected devices. This makes the announcement broader than a single Echo speaker refresh.
Availability is not uniform. Amazon says the Echo Dot and Echo Time are available now, and the Echo Show 16 is open for preorder. The Photo Frame and Echo Studio are listed with prices in the announcement, while Alexa Home Map is planned for a preview later in the year. The report does not give a single release date covering the full lineup.
““widest field of view” on an Echo Show device so far”
— Amazon, describing the Echo Show 16 camera
Feature Rollout And Compatibility
Amazon has not provided a specific date for the Alexa Home Map preview, beyond saying it will roll out later this year. Its announcement says users will create a map by entering an address, scanning rooms with a compatible iPhone and placing smart-home devices, but it does not detail which devices or homes will be supported at launch.
Some product claims and functions also need more detail. Amazon has not provided independent testing for the Echo Show 16’s camera field of view or the Echo Dot’s bass comparison. The company has not specified when Echo Studio video calls through compatible Fire TVs will arrive, or the full compatibility requirements for the smart-home features. The sleep-based alarm is optional; the announcement does not explain its accuracy or how it performs for different users.
Sales And Preview Rollouts
Customers can buy the Echo Dot and Echo Time now, while the Echo Show 16 is available for preorder. Amazon has not given a release schedule for every item in the announcement. The next stated software milestone is the Alexa Home Map preview, expected later this year on iOS through the Alexa Home Map, Alexa and Ring apps, as well as on selected Echo Show devices, Fire TV hardware and new Alexa tablets.
Amazon’s planned Fire TV support for Echo Studio video calls is another future update without a date in the announcement. More information about supported devices, rollout timing and product availability will be needed to establish how broadly the new features can be used.
Key Questions
What are the six main Echo and smart-home updates?
They are the Echo Show 16, Alexa Photo Frame, upgraded Echo Dot, Echo Studio with Home Camera, Echo Time smart alarm clock and Alexa Home Map.
Which new Echo products are available now?
Amazon says the Echo Dot and Echo Time are available now. The Echo Show 16 is open for preorder. Availability timing for the other products is not specified in the announcement.
How much does the new Echo Show 16 cost?
The Echo Show 16 costs $499.99. The Nanomatte display option is priced at $569.99.
When will Alexa Home Map be available?
Amazon says Alexa Home Map will begin rolling out in preview later this year. It has not announced a specific date.
What does the Echo Studio camera do?
Amazon says the camera can show a live view of a room when the user is away and let them ask Alexa questions about items in view. Support for video calls through compatible Fire TVs is planned for later, with no date given.
Source: theverge.com
