Amazon announced the new Echo Time and Echo Dot, designed for Alexa+, unveiling a new line featuring a bedside smart clock and room-filling audio, respectively. Pricing, launch timing and key features were also disclosed.
Amazon announced a new line of the Echo Time smart clock and Echo Dot smart speaker for generative AI-powered Alexa+. Echo Time is priced at ¥35,980 (including tax) and goes on sale on 29 October. It is available in 3 colors: Graphite, Glacier White and Coral Pink. Echo Time has a 3.2-inch circular touchscreen that displays alarms, weather, currently playing music and other information.
Echo Time features Omnisense and sleep-monitoring technology, which detect occupancy, breathing patterns and distance, and help users wake up with a smart alarm. The screen brightens around the wake-up time, and when paired with a smart light sold separately, it can illuminate the entire room to wake the user. To protect privacy, it has no camera, and a microphone-disable setting is also available.
Echo Dot is priced at ¥17,980 (including tax) and goes on sale on 29 October. It is available in 4 colors: Graphite, Glacier White, Agave Green and Coral Pink. Its spherical design uses 3D-knitted fabric and includes a built-in smart home hub, enabling users to control numerous devices through Alexa. It also features a built-in eero WiFi extender that can add coverage of up to 92 square meters.
Alexa+ is a next-generation personal assistant powered by generative AI, and its early access program has begun. Prime members are expected to continue having access without a paid subscription for a period of time, while the service is expected to offer smart home integration and personalized experiences.