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Amazon announced a fall lineup of Echo devices and smart-home features, including an updated Echo Show 16, an Echo Dot with a built-in smart-home hub, and a camera-equipped Echo Studio. Several products are available to order now; Alexa Home Map is due in preview later this year.
Amazon announced six Echo and smart-home updates on Wednesday, led by a redesigned Echo Show 16, a new Echo Dot with a built-in smart-home hub, and an Echo Studio with a camera. The lineup also includes a photo frame, a smart alarm clock and an interactive map of connected devices; prices start at $99.99 for the Echo Dot.
The Echo Show 16 has a 16-inch screen in an anodized aluminum frame that Amazon says is nearly 40 percent thinner than its predecessor. A Nanomatte screen option is intended to reduce glare. The device also has a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera, updated speakers with micro woofers and two tweeters, and 20 percent more computing power, according to Amazon. It is available for preorder at $499.99; the Nanomatte version costs $569.99.
The Echo Dot adds a smart-home hub, Amazon’s custom AZ3 chip, four microphones and an Eero Wi-Fi extender. Amazon says its new full-range driver provides 50 percent more bass than the prior generation. Like the Show 16, it uses the company’s Omnisense fusion platform for presence and temperature detection. It is on sale for $99.99 in four colors.
Amazon also added a camera to the Echo Studio, allowing users to view a room remotely or ask Alexa about objects shown to it. The company gave examples such as asking about a board game’s rules or ordering another cereal flavor. The device costs $249.99, with a $39.99 optional stand. The other three announcements are the Alexa Photo Frame, the Echo Time smart alarm clock and Alexa Home Map.
More Roles for Echo Devices
The announcements extend Echo beyond voice-controlled speakers into home monitoring, device control and personalized displays. The Dot’s built-in hub may let owners control compatible smart-home devices without buying a separate hub, while the Echo Studio camera adds a way to check a room from outside the home.
Alexa Home Map could offer a visual alternative to managing connected equipment through separate device lists. Amazon says the map can show Echo devices, cameras, Fire TV, lights, locks and thermostats, with controls available from the map. The practical value will depend on which devices work with it and how straightforward setup proves to be.
Prices also place the products across several budgets: the Echo Dot is $99.99, while the larger Show 16 begins at $499.99. Buyers will need to weigh the added features against the cost and their comfort with cameras and home data being integrated into Alexa services.
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Amazon’s Fall Hardware Lineup
The announcements are part of a series of fall hardware updates from Amazon, with this batch centered on Echo speakers and related smart-home products. The company also presented software features, including Alexa Home Map, alongside the new devices.
Amazon describes Omnisense as a platform used by the Show 16 and new Echo Dot to detect conditions such as room temperature and presence. The company says those signals can support automated actions, such as adjusting heat or turning on a light when someone enters. These are Amazon’s descriptions of intended functions; the source report does not provide independent testing of their accuracy.
The lineup mixes products available now or for preorder with a feature that has a later preview window. The Echo Dot and Echo Time are available today, while the Show 16 is open for preorder. Alexa Home Map is scheduled to begin rolling out in preview later this year.
“The “widest field of view” on an Echo Show device so far”
— Amazon, describing the Echo Show 16 camera
Compatibility and Feature Limits
The announcement details do not specify the full list of compatible smart-home devices for the new hub, Omnisense automations or Alexa Home Map. Amazon’s descriptions also do not establish how reliably presence, temperature or sleep-related signals will work in different homes.
For Alexa Home Map, Amazon says users can enter an address, scan rooms with a compatible iPhone and place devices on the map. The company has not provided a specific launch date beyond a preview later this year, nor does the source report detail privacy settings, regional availability or whether all map functions will work across the named apps and screens.
The Echo Studio’s camera-related capabilities and planned Fire TV video-call connection also have open questions, including the full compatibility list and timing for the Fire TV feature. No independent testing or user feedback was available in the announcement report.
Orders and Preview Rollout
Customers can order the Echo Dot and Echo Time now; the Echo Show 16 is available for preorder. Amazon has not supplied a shipping date in the source report. The Alexa Photo Frame and Echo Studio are listed at $199.99 and $249.99, respectively, with frame and stand options costing extra.
Amazon says Alexa Home Map will begin rolling out in preview later this year on iOS through the Alexa Home Map, Alexa and Ring apps. The feature is also slated for larger Echo Show devices, the Ember Artline Fire TV and new Alexa Tablets. The timing and availability of the Echo Studio’s planned Fire TV video-call integration remain unspecified.
Key Questions
What are the six biggest Amazon Echo updates?
The announcements cover the Echo Show 16, Alexa Photo Frame, Echo Dot, Echo Studio with Home Camera, Echo Time and Alexa Home Map.
Which new Echo devices are available now?
The Echo Dot and Echo Time are available today, while the Echo Show 16 is open for preorder. Availability details for the other products vary, and the source report does not give shipping dates for every device.
How much do the new products cost?
Prices begin at $99.99 for the Echo Dot. The Echo Show 16 starts at $499.99, the Alexa Photo Frame at $199.99, the Echo Studio with Home Camera at $249.99, and Echo Time at $199.99. The Kids Echo Time starts at $209.99.
What does Alexa Home Map do?
Amazon says it creates an interactive 3D map showing compatible home devices, including cameras, lights, locks and thermostats, which users can control through the map. It is scheduled to enter preview later this year.
When will Alexa Home Map be available?
Amazon says the feature will roll out in preview later this year, initially on iOS through Alexa and Ring apps, with support also planned for larger Echo Show devices, Ember Artline Fire TV and new Alexa Tablets. A specific date was not announced.
Source: rss
