It’s been eight months since Amazon refreshed its Echo speaker lineup, but today Amazon is unveiling new hardware which is coming next month. The Echo Show 5 is set to arrive in June as a lower-cost alternative to its bigger brother, while also directly positioning itself against Nest Hub. Those familiar with Google’s line of Assistant-enabled devices will be familiar with the design, which is centered around a display and wrapped in fabric. Echo Show 5 will also sport a built-in camera all in a more compact footprint than the previously released Echo Show. Head below for more details, pricing, and a release date.
Echo Show 5: Smaller, cheaper
Amazon’s new Echo Show 5 is set to arrive on June 26th for $89.99 with a smaller 5.5-inch display, HD camera, and a new privacy-focused camera shutter. Today’s release joins the larger second generation Echo Show which retails for $230 and sports a larger 10-inch display. Of course, it will offer all of the usual Alexa features that we’ve come to expect from Amazon’s Echo lineup, with similar functionality thanks to its built-in display as Echo Show and Spot.
“Since we launched the first Echo Show device, customers have told us they love asking Alexa to show them things—whether it’s a recipe for banana bread, their shopping list, or music lyrics. With Echo Show 5, we’ve made it even easier and affordable for customers to add a smart display to every room of their house,” said Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President, Amazon Alexa. “The compact form factor is perfect for a bedside table or desk, plus it has a camera shutter for added peace of mind, and new Alexa privacy features for even more control.”
The built-in 5.5-inch display acts as an alternative to accessing your favorite content and smart home controls. While voice commands are central to the Echo Show experience, the built-in display offers an alternative to scenarios where Alexa may not be ideal.
Privacy-focused features
Amid recent privacy concerns, Amazon is introducing some new features on the Echo Show 5. This is primarily focused around a new camera shutter that covers the built-in camera when not in-use. Will this completely do away with concerns Alexa users may have? Probably not. But it’s a step towards Amazon recognizing that this area is a weakness for them.
Echo Show 5 is also rolling out with the ability to delete your voice recordings after so many days. For example, simply saying, Alexa, delete everything I said today, will do away with any cached content from that day.
Pricing and availability
Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is slated to retail for $89.99. It will be available in two colors starting on June 26th and is available for pre-order today.
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