Amazon recently announced their latest smart home devices and Alexa features at their 2023 Devices and Services event. These new products aim to create more intuitive and personalized home experiences through advanced AI and ambient intelligence.
Upgraded AI-Powered Alexa
Amazon previewed an upgraded Alexa that is more conversational and natural sounding. It uses a custom large language model optimized specifically for voice interactions. This allows Alexa to better understand complex requests, reason, and infer customer intent. Users in the US can try it by saying “Alexa, let’s chat” to their Echo devices.
New Alexa Features
Alexa received several new features that improve accessibility, safety, and entertainment:
- Eye Gaze Mode allows mobility-impaired users to control Alexa hands-free using just their eyes. It will be available on Fire Tablets later this year.
- Call Translation provides real-time translation during Alexa audio/video calls in over 10 languages. It launches on Echo Show devices this year.
- Alexa Emergency Assist provides urgent response, smart alerts, and emergency contacts at home. It will be available as a subscription service soon.
- Email to Alexa lets users forward event invites to Alexa to add to their calendar and get confirmations.
- Game Start Routines automatically begin when a user’s favorite sports team’s game starts. Over 1300 teams are supported.
New Echo Devices
Echo Frames Smart Glasses
The new Echo Frames smart glasses let you take Alexa on the go. They are now available in 7 stylish options with prescription, sunglass, and blue light blocking lenses. Battery life is improved up to 40%.
Echo Show 8
The upgraded Echo Show 8 has a centered camera, better sound processing, and adaptive content where the screen changes based on proximity. It is available for pre-order.
Echo Hub
Echo Hub is a new wall-mountable smart home control panel with an 8-inch touchscreen. It controls over 140,000 smart devices and supports Matter and Thread. Pre-orders begin later this year.
Enhanced Smart Home Features
Map View in Alexa App
Map View lets users create digital floorplans of their homes and pin smart devices to them for easy status checks and control. It launches in the US Alexa app later this year.
Fast Smart Home Commands
Echo Hub connects locally to smart home devices to execute some commands in as little as 300 milliseconds.
eero WiFi 7 Mesh Router
The new eero WiFi 7 mesh router delivers speeds up to two times faster than WiFi 6. It will be available in one-, two-, and three-packs.
New Fire TV Devices
The next generation Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max streaming devices are more powerful and support WiFi 6/6E. The 4K Max also adds the Fire TV Ambient Experience.
Fire TV Soundbar provides immersive sound and easy setup. MGM+ is free for 6 months with new Fire TV purchases.
Enhanced Blink Outdoor Cameras
New Blink devices include the Outdoor 4 Floodlight Camera, Sync Module Pro with extended range, and a Battery Extension Pack. These enhance the Blink outdoor security camera system.
Fun New Echo and Fire Kids Devices
The Echo Pop Kids is a new cute smart speaker for kids with Disney and Marvel themes. Fire HD 10 Kids tablets are lighter and faster. New games, routines, and Alexa features aim to make mornings, bedtime, and family time more entertaining.
The latest Amazon smart home and Alexa announcements promise more seamless, intuitive experiences through ambient intelligence and voice-based interactions. Key highlights are upgrades to Alexa, Echo devices, Fire TV, Blink security cameras, and Kindle Kids offerings. These products are available for pre-order now and will launch later this year.
