Alexa’s survival hinges on you buying more expensive Amazon devices

Among the new displays – Echo Show $ 180. It is 20 percent more than its predecessor since 2021 ($ 150). In addition, Amazon produces a new 11-inch Smart Display, Echo Show 11. At $ 220, it is cheaper than the 10-inch ECHO Show 10, which Amazon released in 2021 (250 US dollars), notes the exclusion of Alexa+ Price spikes.

Similarly, Amazon's New firefighters C ALEXA+ higher starting prices than ordinary ALEXA -based models that preceded it. The updated Fire TV Omni QLED series ranges from 350 to $ 1200 for models from 50 to 75 inches. The previous series was launched in 2023 for 350 to 1100 dollars. The new Fire TV 2 also has a higher entry point ($ 160 against $ 200), although the new Fire TV Stick from AMAZON with ALEXA+ cheaper than other 4K sticks of $ 40.

New firefighters with ALEXA+ updated processors.

Credit: Amazon

Numerous factors can affect the price, including inflation, tariffs and production costs. ARS Technica asked Amazon about higher prices, and the company representative shared a statement:

New devices reflect significant investments in the best sound qualities, more responsive performance and innovative functions that customers requested.

More expensive components seem to be the driving force of a larger price. For example, the new speakers are equipped with AZ3 and AZ23 Pro processors, which include the new “AI AII AII AII EDGE”, according to the Amazon announcement. It is assumed that the processors provide the “best discovery of conversations” along with improved microphones for blocking background noise “and improving Alexa's ability to detect a word in wakefulness by more than 50 percent”.

AZ23 Pro also adds support vision of transformerswhich can process images and more advanced language models.

Both chips use a new prioritarian sensation platform. Amazon says that Omnisense uses various sensors and signals, including from Echo Show Smart Display cameras, as well as “Audio, Ultrasound, Wi-Fi-Radar, Accelerometer and Wi-Fi CSI”. Amazon's announcement also explains:

This technology allows Alexa to be reasonable to act on various events taking place in your house and around it, allowing more personalized, proactive and useful experience, such as providing a reminder when a specific person enters the room or a preemptive warning that your garage door is unlocked and this is after 10 o’clock in the evening.

There are other updates. For example, Echo Dot Max has two speakers instead of one and requires the triple capacity of Echo Dot (5th generation). And the Echo studio is in a smaller chassis than its predecessor, which indicates higher costs for the same sound quality.