Amazon today refreshed its lineup of Echo devices in a big way, announcing next-generation Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and Echo Show smart speakers, plus some brand-new products like the Echo Sub, Echo Input, Echo Link—even an Echo Clock for your wall and Echo Auto for your car.
The next-generation Echo Dot is 70 percent louder than its predecessor, with a new mic array, and a larger driver (1.6 inches compared to 1.1 inches) for the same $49.99 price. The new driver offers "more powerful sound with lower distortion and enhanced bass reproduction," Amazon said.
Meanwhile, the new Echo Plus—priced at $149.99—offers "more powerful" and "clearer" sound with stronger bass, Amazon said. It also features a temperature sensor, so it can trigger routines based on your home's climate. You can, for instance, set it up so that Alexa automatically turns on the fan if your living room reaches a certain temperature.
The new Echo Plus also features a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, so you can set up your smart devices by saying "Alexa, discover my devices." An upcoming feature called local voice control will let you control connected smart plugs and lights even if your internet goes down.
The new Echo Show features a 10-inch HD screen, offering twice the display area as the original, plus improved sound quality, for the same $229.99 price.
"There are dual, side-firing 2-inch Neodymium drivers; a passive bass radiator; and Dolby processing to deliver expansive stereo sound with deep, powerful lows and crisp highs, perfect for listening to your favorite music," Amazon said. It has an 8-mic array, which Amazon called its "most powerful mics ever" and a built-in smart home hub.
Amazon is taking pre-orders for the new Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and Echo Show today and expects to start shipping these devices on Oct. 11.
For those desiring better sound, Amazon introduced the $129.99 Echo Sub, a subwoofer for Echo devices, which is also available for pre-order today and slated to start shipping on Oct. 11.
"Echo Sub delivers down-firing, 100W deep bass sound through a 6-inch woofer," Amazon said. "When paired with your Echo device, you can feel the music as it fills the room."
Already have a speaker you love? Amazon wants to teach it some new tricks. The company today unveiled Echo Input, its first Echo device without a speaker. The tiny Echo Input, which measures just 12.5mm tall so it "disappears into the room," is designed to add Alexa voice control to an existing speaker via a 3.5mm audio cable or Bluetooth. It features a four-microphone array so you can "talk to Alexa from across the room," Amazon said. The $34.99 device will be available later this year.
Another new device, Echo Link, connects to your existing stereo equipment, letting you control music playback and volume via Echo devices or the Alexa app. Amazon said it will be available "soon."
Then there's the $29.99 Echo Wall Clock, which uses Bluetooth to connect to your Echo device.
"Customers love timers, alarms, and reminders and Echo Wall Clock makes these features even better," Amazon said. "And you never have to worry about Daylight Savings with the Echo Wall Clock."
Amazon is also extending Echo to a new place: your car. A $24.99 Echo Auto device, available now by invitation, sits on your dashboard and connects to Alexa via your phone, letting you bring the virtual assistant all on all your road trips. It has an eight-microphone array designed to handle background noise.
"Even when there's construction, or you're cranking up the music with the air conditioning on high, Echo Auto can hear your requests," Amazon said.