Amazon's annual Devices and Services event, scheduled for September 20, is expected to feature updates to its Echo speakers, Echo Show, Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation, Eero Wi-Fi routers, and possibly some wacky new products.
Amazon is preparing for its annual fall product announcements, with rumors suggesting big AI-driven changes for Alexa and a shake-up in its devices and services division, including the departure of hardware boss Dave Limp and the potential replacement by Microsoft's Panos Panay. Last year, Amazon introduced various new products, and while this year's event may be more muted, surprises are still expected. Additionally, Amazon is focusing on the smart home integration of its Fire TVs and Alexa, and it plans to cut down on the number of in-house brands it offers on its marketplace.
Amazon announced that it will use a new generative AI model to enhance the performance of its Echo devices, providing improved conversational experiences and personalization.
Amazon has unveiled a new Alexa voice assistant, powered by its Alexa large language model, that can understand conversational phrases, interpret context more effectively, and complete multiple requests from one command, marking a significant advancement in voice assistant technology.
Alexa engages in a conversation with a user, answering questions about football teams and providing personalized responses while calling multiple APIs in real time.
Amazon has announced a new personal safety feature for Alexa devices called Emergency Assist, which allows users to call for help and connect with a trained agent 24/7 by saying "Alexa, call for help" and is available for all Echo devices at a cost of $6 monthly or $59 annually.
Amazon has announced new accessibility features for its devices, including Eye Gaze on Alexa for gaze-based navigation and a Call Translation feature for transcribing and displaying captions during Alexa calls.
Amazon hosted an event to introduce new devices and services, including an updated version of Alexa with optimized language models for voice interactions, new Echo and Ring products, next-generation Echo Frames, new Fire Tablets and Fire TV devices, and the eero Max 7 mesh system.
Amazon is introducing Map View, a new feature in the Alexa mobile app that allows users to create a digital map of their house and control connected devices.
Amazon is integrating a large language model into its Echo devices to improve conversational interactions, although some issues were experienced during a live demonstration; meanwhile, Apple's new Apple Watch Series 9 introduces a "Double Tap" method of interaction and on-device Siri processing.
Amazon is introducing new features to Alexa, including the ability to listen without needing to say "Alexa" first, but did not address concerns about privacy and security.
Amazon continues to outpace Google in the smart home market, with Amazon's Alexa offering more advanced features and faster responses compared to Google Assistant.
Amazon is investing up to $4 billion in the AI startup Anthropic to develop a rival to ChatGPT, as the company aims to keep up with competitors like Microsoft and Google in the AI space.
Amazon is considering introducing subscription fees for Alexa's advanced AI features in the future, according to Dave Limp, SVP of devices and services at Amazon, who stated that Alexa would have to be "remarkable" before such charges are implemented.
Amazon is releasing a new Fire Stick update that will improve Alexa's abilities, allowing users to have conversations with the voice assistant to find movies and shows to watch and personalize suggestions based on their preferences.
Amazon is working on Project Nile, an initiative to revamp its search experience with AI-powered chat features that provide conversational, personalized, and in-depth search results and recommendations; the new search is being tested internally and could launch in January 2023.
Amazon is offering significant discounts on its Alexa devices ahead of its two-day October Prime Day sale, including deals on Echo devices, Fire TVs, Ring doorbells, and Blink security cameras.
Amazon's Prime Day event offers substantial discounts on a wide range of Alexa-infused smart devices, including Echo speakers, Echo Show displays, Fire tablets, Kindle e-readers, Fire TV streaming devices, and various smart home devices.