Alexa+ takes centre stage in Amazon hardware launch

The new Echo lineup introduces four models: the Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, and two new smart displays, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11. At the core of these devices are new custom-designed AI accelerators – the AZ3 chip in the Dot Max and the AZ3 Pro in the others – promising faster response times and improved AI performance for the Alexa+ assistant.

The compact Echo Dot Max features a dual-driver design for fuller sound and Amazon claims it offers three times the bass of its predecessor. It will retail for $100/£100.

For audiophiles, the redesigned Echo Studio is 40% smaller than the original while offering spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support via a high excursion woofer and three full-range drivers. This premium speaker is priced at $220/£220.

Both models can be chained together, allowing users to create a wireless 5-device surround sound home theatre setup with compatible Fire TV sticks.

The new smart displays, the Echo Show 8 and the new Echo Show 11, feature thinner, more vibrant displays and a 13MP camera for video calls. They also boast a new audio architecture with front-facing stereo speakers. The Echo Show 8 is priced at $180/£180, while the larger Echo Show 11 will cost $220/£220.

Beyond the smart speakers, Amazon is making a significant leap in its e-reader business with three new 11-inch Kindle Scribe tablets. The highlight is the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which is Amazon’s first writing-enabled Kindle to feature a colour screen.

The Scribe Colorsoft is priced from $630, though a UK price for this specific model remains to be confirmed, with one variant of the Colorsoft starting at £570. It introduces new features including Quick Notes and AI-powered notebook search.

Finally, Amazon’s Ring and Blink security divisions has received a resolution boost with the new Retinal 2K and Retinal 4K image processing systems.

Ring’s new products include the Retinal 2K Wired Doorbell Plus at $180 (UK price approximately £160) and the Indoor Cam Plus at $60 (UK price approximately £50). The premium 4K models include the Wired Doorbell Pro at $250 (UK price approximately £220). New software features, including ‘Familiar Faces’ and the neighbourhood-powered ‘Search Party’ to find lost pets were also announced.

The new hardware is positioned as the best way to access the conversational power of Alexa+, which uses a large language model and is now rolling out in waves, available for free to Amazon Prime subscribers or as a paid upgrade for others. The Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio are available for pre-order immediately, shipping October 29, with the Echo Show models following on November 12.