Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) debuted the next generation of products for its Echo, Kindle, Fire TV, Blink, and Ring lineup at Tuesday’s Devices and Services event in New York City, a product launch strategically timed ahead of the company’s Prime Big Deals Day in two weeks.
Presented by Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) executives including Ring founder Jamie Siminoff and software chief and former Microsoft (MSFT) product chief Panos Panay, the event unveiled AI-enhanced features for its Alexa+ virtual assistant and upgraded cameras for the Ring doorbell.
The new devices are now powered by Alexa+, the next generation assistant powered by generative artificial intelligence with improved large language models and agentic capabilities.
Ring Devices:
The new Ring devices now feature an upgraded Retinal Vision, 4K video, and Alex+ Greetings technology that transforms Alexa into a smart doorbell attendant to manage deliveries, send away solicitors, and provide instructions to visitors.
The Ring Retinal 4K is integrated into the Wired Doorbell Pro, Spotlight Cam Pro, Floodlight Cam Pro, and Outdoor Cam Pro for more clarity to capture critical details.
The new device also features “Familiar Faces” technology and a Search Party feature to help find lost dogs by connecting nearby outdoor Ring cameras to notify owners if they spot the lost animal.
The new Ring lineup sells from $179.99 for the Wired Doorbell Plus to $499.99 for the Wired Doorbell Elite.
Kindle Scribe and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft:
With 60% of Kindle sales to new customers, Amazon upped its Scribe offering with the first color writing tablet. The new lineup won’t be available to U.S. customers next year at $629.99 for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and $499.99 ultra-thin Kindle Scribe.
The new Scribe comes with a larger 11-inch glare-free display that mirrors the proportions of a sheet of paper at just 400g and is 40% faster than the previous generation. The new Scribe allows users to access all of their documents through Google (GOOG) Drive and Microsoft (MSFT) OneDrive with an advanced AI-powered search function.
Echo:
Amazon is keeping the same design for its Echo speakers, paired now with the new Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 smart displays. The devices also come with premium audio, next-generation AI processing, and Omnisense sensor fusion for “more personalized Alexa+ experiences.”
The new devices all run on two custom-designed silicon chips — AZ3 and AZ3 Pro — with an all-new AI Accelerator, enabling better conversation detection. Coupled with Omnisense, Alexa can now act on various events happening in and around the home, including alerts of an open door and reminders targeted towards certain residents in the home.
The devices will also be able to interact later on with an Alexa+ Store to access services from GrubHub, Lyft, Priceline, Thumbtack, Yahoo Sports, and Fandango, as well as manage existing subscriptions with Amazon’s own services.
Fire TV:
The new Fire TV Omni QLED series has a display that is now 60% brighter, double the local dimming zones, and Dolby Vision and HDR10+ adaptive technology. The Omni series automatically adjusts display colors based on the room’s lighting and can turn on the TV when an individual enters the room and powers down when the room is empty. The 32 inch to 55 inch TV starts at $159.99 with the 50 inch to 70 inch starting at $479.99.
The Fire TV Stick – under $40 — is now integrated with Amazon’s (NASDAQ:AMZN) new operating system Vega, providing for a responsive and “highly efficient” device that works with most streaming services and will soon support Xbox Gaming (MSFT), Luna, and Alexa+.
Blink:
With a 2K+ wireless camera, the new Blink Outdoor provides clearer video resolution, 4x zoom capability, enhanced low-light performance, audio with noise cancelling two-way talk, and smart notifications (with a Blink subscription plus plan).
For indoor use, Amazon (AMZN) introduced the Blink Mini 2K+, a plug-in compact camera.
The new Blink Arc enables the combination of two Blink Mini 2K+ cameras into a single, seamless feed. The single camera can be mounted from one point with a 180-degree panoramic view.
Prices range from $89.99 for the Blink Outdoor 2K+ to $99.99 for Blink Arc.
The new lineup and advanced Alexa+ features failed to impress investors as Amazon (AMZN) shares fell into the 11am ET event and continue to circle the drain at the intra-day lows.