Amazon Event 2023: Every New Product You Need To Know About
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Today is the Amazon Devices and Services Event where the company shows off all of its newest tech. This year, Amazon is focusing on Alexa-enabled smart home devices and for good reason. Amazon and Alexa have become synonymous with Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and nearly every piece of technology, appliance, light fixture and more has an Alexa-enabled version. At the start of the event, Amazon noted that so far, over one billion Alexa-enabled devices have been activated.
Additionally, Amazon is doubling down on AI research to make Alexa better and more adaptable to specific customer's requests, instead of more generalized answers. Amazon also notes that the new Alexa will be available on older Echo models in addition to the newest batch of products.
Backwards compatibility is great for customers that don't feel the need to shell out for a new line of Echo devices. However, for those that want to ask Alexa every question under the sun, the company has announced some new Echo devices.
Echo Show 8 (2023)
The first new physical product Amazon announced is the Echo Show 8, and is calling it the "most ambient device yet." That's likely referring to the Show 8's new sound tech that allows it to more effectively filter out background noise when on either end of a video call. The processor and internal bits have been enhanced for a generally snappier performance over previous iterations of the Show as well. Plus, using the camera, the Echo Show 8 now has the ability to "wake up" when you walk up to it.
That sound tech has also been used to make listening to music more enjoyable, as Amazon claims its spatial processors can adapt to the acoustics of whatever room you're in to optimize the clarity of whatever you're listening to. The Echo Show retails for $149.99, and will start shipping next month. Pre-ordering, for those antsy to get their smart home up and running, opens up today.
Fire TV Soundbar and Fire TV Sticks (2023)
The Fire TV Soundbar is billed as the perfect companion to your Fire TV setup, as it'll immediately give you an audio improvement over your built-in TV speakers. You'll get better sound, better bass, and better dialogue all rolled into one. The Fire TV Soundbar costs $199.99, and is available now in the United States and Canada.
Also revealed was the Fire TV Stick 4K, a new device that's 30% more powerful than its previous iteration, and it includes support for Wi-Fi 6. This means your Fire TV apps should be snappier than before, and you'll be able to experience the joys of 4K streaming without any technical hitches.
The Fire TV Stick 4K costs $49.99. If you're willing to bump up your budget to $59.99, you can grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The more advanced offering has the same features as the base model 4K stick, but you'll get support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos on top of it.
Included with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the Ambient Experience, which allows you to ask for things like weather updates or reminders. You can also use it as a screen saver for your TV that will display pieces of art from around the world — all free of charge.
Echo Pop Kids
In addition to the smart-home centric offerings, the company announced a kids version of its Echo Pop speakers. Priced at $49.99, and featuring Marvel and Disney designs, the speakers are programmed to give more age-appropriate responses to questions and voice commands.
Plus, depending on what design you get for your kids, Alexa will call out jokes and tidbits about either Marvel heroes or Disney Princesses. It comes with six months of Amazon Kids+ that not only enables the kid-friendly responses and extra content, but it removes advertisements from the platform, and includes a large library of age-appropriate audiobooks and educational material.
Coming sometime before the holidays, Amazon announced "Explore with Alexa" that comes bundled with Amazon Kids+. With the new feature, your kid will be able to "talk" with Alexa, who will be able to respond with a more locked down version of its newfound AI abilities. Plus, it will draw from trusted sources for more fact-based information.
Alexa Emergency Assist and Eye Gaze
Amazon is introducing a new service called "Alexa Emergency Assist," which will allow people in your household to quickly request immediate assistance using an Echo device.
Its most prominent feature is 24/7 Urgent Response, which can be prompted with phrases like "Alexa, call for help." This will connect you with a dedicated, professionally-trained agent (that is presumably working for Amazon, not municipal emergency services) who can get in touch with first responders on your behalf.
The agent will have access to pre-saved information, including your address, medications, and allergies, as well as which device you're calling from. Alexa Emergency Assist will launch in the U.S. soon, and is supported on all Echo smart speakers and displays. You'll need to pay for the service, however: the Alexa Emergency Assist subscription will cost $5.99 per month, or $50 per year.
Another feature Amazon is launching is "Eye Gaze," a new way to utilize Alexa for customers with speech or mobility disabilities that are unable to use standard voice and touchscreen controls on an Echo device. Instead, they will be able to trigger Alexa to perform pre-set actions — like play music, make calls, or control their smart home — by gazing at a Fire Max 11 Tablet.
Currently, that's the only device that supports Eye Gaze, as the technology is still very new, though Amazon suggests it will evaluate how customers use it and expand on its potential. Unlike Alexa Emergency Assist, Eye Gaze will be free to use.
AI enhancements for Alexa
Amazon chose its 2023 Devices and Services event to announce several AI-focused updates to Amazon services across the board, starting with Alexa.
One noticeable change to Alexa is that users will no longer need to say "Alexa" before every command. This updated version of Alexa will also get a new speech recognition system that will adjust to users' natural pauses and hesitation, resulting in a more free-flowing conversation. Perhaps the most significant change is Alexa's ability to adjust its tone and emotion based on context.
In addition, the company also confirmed that it is working on a new speech-to-speech model that will add more human-like conversational attributes to Alexa's vocabulary, such as laughter, natural pauses, and exclamatory phrases. There are a bunch of other behind-the-scenes changes in the pipeline, too, that are set to improve Alexa's overall natural conversational experience.
Amazon is also looking at developers who will soon be able to integrate their content with its improved LLMs (Large Language Models) to enhance the product experience. Companies like BMW, Splash, and Character.ai are already working on bringing these features to consumers in the near future.
Blink Outdoor 4, Floodlight, and Battery Extension Pack
The Blink Outdoor 4 is the next generation of the popular Blink camera that's often used for home security. The Outdoor 4, as its name suggests, will be set up outside your home and allow you to surveil the surroundings.
Amazon boasts a single set of double-A batteries will last up to two years in the camera, so you should be able to set it up and not have to worry about it replacing them for quite a while. You're able to add a battery expansion pack that will increase the battery life for up to four years if you want to go even further. The battery expansion costs $29.99, and The Outdoor 4 itself is available for $119.99.
If you want to extend the range of the Outdoor 4 further than your Wi-Fi allows, you can pick up the Blink Sync Module Pro, which will do just that. This allows you to set up a camera on a pole in your backyard, as an example. Setting up the Blink Outdoor 4 Floodlight would be handy for a backyard device, as it illuminates more of the yard for better coverage. The Blink Sync Module Pro releases in early 2024 and will cost $49.99. The Outdoor 4 Floodlight camera costs $159.99.
Ring Stick Up Cam Pro (2023)
The newest Ring camera is the Stick Up Cam Pro. It's an indoor/outdoor camera that's available for preorder today, and ships next month for $179.99. Amazon says that it will feature three-dimensional motion detection that allows users a more granular look at where in space the camera detected motion.
It now includes two array microphones, a siren, and echo cancel functionality that is part of its new Audio+ feature. The Color Pre-Roll feature now records a few seconds before sending out an alert to capture important context that is sometimes cut out of security notifications that you are sent.
Plus, for Ring App users, you will now be able to set security-centric routines for your Ring Devices: These will allow you to, for example, dim your floodlights at a certain time of day, set announcements for when specific doors are opened, or just to arm your entire security system remotely and on a schedule.
Next-gen Echo Frames (2023) and Carrera Smart Glasses
After Amazon introduced its Echo Frames — the brand's first pair of smart glasses with Alexa connectivity — customers reported loving the ability to listen to music or a podcast, make phone calls, and control smart home devices without need to interact with their phones. However, criticisms of the first-generation product included a limited selection of frame styles, as well as a battery that struggled to last an entire day.
In response, the new second generation of smart eyewear features a total of seven styles of frames — including two from the iconic brand Carrera Eyewear — all designed to mimic traditional eyewear and minimize the visual presence of the technology. Lenses are available in both prescription and/or sunglass variants, and the frames are water resistant to IPX4 rating.
In the battery department, the new frames deliver six hours of continuous audio when fully charged, which is a 40% to 80% improvement on the previous generation.
Additional new features include the ability to connect simultaneously with multiple devices, such as a smartphone and laptop, a button to begin playing a recommended playlist, and the ability to ask Alexa to help locate a pair of misplaced glasses. The Echo Frames will start at $269.99, while the more premium Carrera Smart Glasses with Alexa are $389.99.
Once the smart glasses are purchased, the buyers lenses of choice can be added at nearly 3,000 locations nationwide or online with Boomerang.
Eero Max 7
According to Mimi Swain, Vice President of Ring, Amazon's latest-generation mesh router — the Eero Max 7 — "will deliver the fastest speeds Eero customers have ever experienced." The device will be able to download a 4K movie in just 10 seconds when equipped with 10 Gigabit Ethernet, utilizing the latest in both TrueMesh and Wi-Fi 7 technology.
The router isn't meant for just playing media, however. Amazon is calling the Eero Max 7 "the foundation for smart home connectivity." It supports the smart home standard Matter and over 200 connected devices, and is designed to handle high-demand networks and locations that are becoming increasingly packed with internet-of-things (IoT) products.
That includes large homes as well as businesses with many devices close together that are running multiple applications. The starting price for the Eero Max 7 is $599.99, and it comes in one, two, and three-packs. Amazon says it will also be available through major internet service providers, including Frontier.
Echo Hub
Amazon believes that modern smart home panels cost a lot for what they have to offer, typically being somewhere around the $400 mark. That is what the company intends to change with its new, affordable, Alexa-powered and wall-mountable smart home control panel called the "Echo Hub." On sale by the end of the year for $179.99, a major reason for the reduced price is because the Echo Hub lacks a camera, and is dependent on IR sensors for its wake up on approach function.
Featuring an 8-inch display, the device derives a lot of its features from the Echo Show 8, and is essentially a wall-mountable, shrunken version of the Amazon Echo Show 15. While it is designed to be wall-mounted, the Echo Hub can also be placed on a table using an optional $29 desktop stand.
Among the capabilities enabled by the Echo Hub include the ability to quickly arm security systems, start a routine, turn on the fan, or change the volume. Users will also be able to view multiple live camera feeds at the same time, and Amazon has confirmed that it intends to add "Map View" early next year, adding even more functionality. Plus, because it is powered by Alexa, users will be able to use their voice to execute commands.
The Echo Hub is compatible with more than 140,000 smart devices, and features USB-C connectivity for PoE devices that require external power supply. It can also turn on devices in less than 300 milliseconds, making commands feel instantaneous.