Amazon revealed a batch of new devices on Wednesday as part of its fall announcements. The news centers mainly on Echo speakers and displays, with a few additional smart home products and features included.
The Echo Show 16 has a 16-inch display set in an anodized aluminum frame that Amazon says is nearly 40 percent thinner than its predecessor. A new Nanomatte display option is designed to cut glare, and the audio setup uses micro woofers and two tweeters for clearer sound. Its wide-angle 13-megapixel camera offers what Amazon calls the widest field of view yet on an Echo Show. The device has 20 percent more computing power and an upgraded Omnisense fusion platform, which lets Alexa raise the heat when a room is too cold or switch on a light when someone walks in. Preorders are open at $499.99, or $569.99 for the Nanomatte version.
Amazon also introduced the Alexa Photo Frame, a digital frame with a semi-matte, 10-inch touchscreen. It syncs with Amazon Photos so Alexa Plus can automatically surface pictures based on who appears in them, when they were taken and sentiment. Users can pick specific people to feature or ask for particular photos. The frame costs $199.99 with a black finish, or $229 with birch or walnut frames.
The upgraded Echo Dot now includes a built-in smart home hub, so it can control devices around the home without a separate hub. Like the Echo Show 16, it uses the Omnisense platform to detect room temperature and presence. It runs on Amazon's custom AZ3 chip, has four microphones, and adds a new full-range driver that delivers 50 percent more bass than the previous generation. A built-in Eero Wi-Fi extender is included as well. The Echo Dot is available now in black, white, green and pink for $99.99.
The Echo Studio gains a built-in camera in a version called the Echo Studio with Home Camera. Owners can view a livestream of the room while away, or ask Alexa about something held in front of the camera. Amazon's examples include showing a board game to ask about the rules or holding up a box of cereal to order a different flavor. The speaker will soon connect with compatible Fire TVs to allow video calls on a larger screen. It costs $249.99 in black, and an optional stand is $39.99.
Another new product is the Echo Time, a smart alarm clock with a circular, 3.2-inch touchscreen that supports different clockfaces and layouts. An optional smart alarm feature can wake users during lighter sleep, between 10 and 60 minutes before the set alarm time, using Omnisense to judge temperature and presence. The display brightens gradually in the morning and dims at night. It is available now for $199.99 in black, white and pink, while a Kids Echo Time starts at $209.99. An adjustable stand costs $39.99.
Finally, the Alexa Home Map feature builds an interactive 3D map of the inside and outside of a home. It shows Echo devices, Ring and Blink cameras, Fire TV, lights, locks, thermostats and other smart devices, all controllable directly from the map. To create one, users enter their home address, scan each room with a compatible iPhone and place each device. The map can also be opened in the Ring app, where live animations of people and cars outside the home can be viewed.
Alexa Home Map will roll out in preview later this year on iOS in the Alexa Home Map, Alexa and Ring apps. Amazon says it is also coming to larger Echo Show devices, the Ember Artline Fire TV and new Alexa Tablets.
