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Amazon announced five new smart home devices and the Alexa Home Map feature on Wednesday, about two weeks after Apple introduced new home products, according to CNET. The lineup includes an Alexa sleep-tracking alarm clock, an Echo Show 16, an Alexa Photo Frame, an Echo Studio with a camera and a sixth-generation Echo Dot; availability ranges from now to later this year.
Amazon announced five new smart home devices and a new feature called Alexa Home Map on Wednesday, with products offering sleep tracking, a photo display, upgraded audio and home-control options. The announced devices include Echo Time and its children’s version, the Echo Show 16, the Alexa Photo Frame, an Echo Studio with a Home Camera and a sixth-generation Echo Dot. The Echo Dot starts at $100, and availability varies by product.
The Echo Time is a camera-free Alexa Plus alarm clock with sleep-tracking sensors and selectable clock faces. Amazon says its optional smart alarm can detect light sleep and wake a user within 10 to 60 minutes of the scheduled alarm. The device is available for $200, while an adjustable stand costs $40 separately. The children’s version, Amazon Kids Echo Time, starts at $210 and includes a year of Kids Plus. Amazon says some functions require Alexa Plus, included with Prime membership.
The Echo Show 16 has a 16-inch high-definition screen, built-in Fire TV and a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera; the report also mentions night vision. Amazon says it has 10% more viewing area and a frame about 40% thinner than the Echo Show 15. It is available for preorder, with shipping planned for later this year: the standard model costs $500 and the anti-glare Nanomatte version $570. Stands are sold separately. The Alexa Photo Frame, a 10-inch touchscreen that syncs with Amazon Photos, starts at $200 and includes 90 days of Alexa Plus.
The Echo Studio with Home Camera is available for $250; Amazon also continues to sell a camera-free Echo Studio for $220. The new sixth-generation Echo Dot costs $100, with a children’s version at $110. Amazon says the Dot has a built-in smart home hub, improved audio and upgraded on-device processing. Alexa Home Map, the separate software feature, is set to roll out on compatible apps, Echo and Alexa devices, and Fire TVs. The source report does not provide a specific launch date for the feature.
More Alexa Functions in the Home
The lineup expands what Amazon’s devices can do without requiring every household to buy the same type of screen or speaker. The Echo Dot’s built-in smart home hub could let owners control compatible devices without a separate hub, while the larger Echo Show combines streaming, household organization and device controls on one display. The new products also give Alexa a greater role in sleep routines and family photo viewing.
Some capabilities depend on Alexa Plus or Kids Plus subscriptions, and accessories such as stands cost extra. Buyers will need to check which functions are included with a device and which require a subscription. The camera-equipped Echo Studio also adds a privacy consideration to a product primarily sold as a speaker.
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Amazon’s New Alexa Lineup
CNET’s report places the announcement about two weeks after Apple introduced its HomeView smart display and HomePod Mini 2. It describes Amazon’s Wednesday announcement as five new devices plus one smart home feature. The five devices are Echo Time, Amazon Kids Echo Time, Echo Show 16, Alexa Photo Frame, Echo Studio with Home Camera and Echo Dot, including children’s editions where applicable. The distinction between the five-device count and the named versions reflects the report’s grouping of product families.
The launch spans products with different availability. CNET reports that Echo Time and the camera-equipped Echo Studio are now available; the Echo Show 16 is open for preorder and scheduled to ship later this year. The report gives prices and features for the Alexa Photo Frame and Echo Dot but does not specify their availability in this launch-timing summary. Alexa Home Map is described as a future rollout for compatible Amazon devices and apps.
“The optional smart alarm can wake users within 10 to 60 minutes of their scheduled alarm when it detects light sleep.”
— Amazon, as described in CNET’s report
Launch Dates and Feature Limits
The report says Alexa Home Map will roll out later this year but does not give a specific date. It also does not give a specific date for the planned feature that would pair the Echo Studio with Home Camera and a Fire TV device for video calls on a larger screen. Amazon says certain features require Alexa Plus; the report does not list every feature affected.
Amazon describes the Echo Time sensors as monitoring room temperature, presence, proximity and breathing, and says the device received the National Sleep Foundation’s SleepMark. The source does not provide independent test results or details on how the sleep measurements are validated. Amazon says the camera helps adapt sound and volume to room position; the report does not provide further information about that feature.
Preorders and Software Rollouts
The Echo Show 16 is available for preorder and is expected to ship later this year, according to the report. CNET says Echo Time and the camera-equipped Echo Studio are now available. The report lists prices for the Alexa Photo Frame and Echo Dot but does not state their availability in this launch-timing summary. Alexa Home Map is expected to roll out later this year, while the report gives no specific date for the larger-screen video-call integration.
For shoppers, the next steps are to check current availability, confirm whether a desired feature requires Alexa Plus or Kids Plus, and account for separately sold stands. Details on supported devices and the timing of the software features may become clearer as Amazon provides further rollout information.
Key Questions
What did Amazon announce?
Amazon announced five smart home device families—the Echo Time, Echo Show 16, Alexa Photo Frame, Echo Studio with Home Camera and Echo Dot—along with the Alexa Home Map feature. Children’s versions are available for some products.
Which new Amazon devices are available now?
The report lists Echo Time, Alexa Photo Frame, Echo Studio with Home Camera and Echo Dot as available now. The Echo Show 16 is available for preorder and is expected to ship later this year.
How much do the new devices cost?
Listed starting prices are $100 for Echo Dot, $200 for Echo Time and Alexa Photo Frame, and $250 for Echo Studio with Home Camera. Amazon Kids Echo Dot starts at $110, Amazon Kids Echo Time at $210, and Echo Show 16 at $500, or $570 for the Nanomatte version. Some stands cost extra.
Does Echo Time use a camera?
No. The report describes Echo Time as a camera-free smart alarm clock. Its sleep features use sensors that Amazon says monitor room conditions, presence, proximity and breathing.
When will Alexa Home Map be available?
Amazon has not announced a specific rollout date in the source report. The feature is described as coming to compatible apps, Echo and Alexa devices, and Fire TVs.
Source: cnet.com
