I’m a little astonished by Alexa+. Amazon’s subscription-based voice assistant with AI is a new addition to the Amazon family.
Not because of its new and exciting features or because Alexa is now more personable, but because I was just dunking the Echo Show 15 a few days before.
Because I can separate my feelings from my ability as a tech reviewer, the Echo Show 15 ( ) scored a respectable 4 out of 5 stars in my review. As I wrote then, I could not fathom why Amazon felt it needed to refresh the Echo Show 15,when so little had been changed.
I now understand completely, and it has everything to do with Alexa+.
A display-first Alexa
At a demo we attended this week in New York City, most of the Alexa+ demonstrations were run on an Echo Show 21. This immediately struck Jake Krol as a fascinating indicator for the future Echo Show devices. There was not a single smart speaker from Amazon on display. We also have no idea what Alexa+ will look like as a voice-only assistant.
For me personally, this served as a reminder that these big brands sometimes have more in mind for their devices than what we can imagine.
I was impressed with the many upgrades on the second-generation Echo Show 15 but could not understand why Amazon would update the device so minimally. The audio is better, and the camera, which has a 13MP sensor, has a wider view. But, overall, this is a very incremental update.
Echo Show devices were a bit more peripheral for Amazon’s Echo smart speakers and display devices for a long time. This was especially true in the larger 15-inch screen version. After my review, I felt that Amazon did not know what to do about the Echo Show 15 – it supports the Fire TV user interface and comes with a Fire TV remote. However, the device’s audio and display means that it can’t replace the best small TVs.
When I learned that you couldn’t switch from the standard Echo Show interface to the smart-home interface on the Echo Hub, I thought I was justified. But I was wrong.
A smarter Show Future
Based on what we’ve seen, Alexa+ isn’t just an AI improvement to the original smart-home voice assistant. It’s a complete redesign of how we interact Amazon’s voice assistance.
Alexa+ is a new voice assistant that has a lot of features. It also has improved intelligence. Alexa+ can be used to improve media searching, retrieve important home documentation, and feeds from compatible security devices. You can also use Alexa to book reservations, cabs and tickets via third-party services. Alexa is now more of a home agent, and this role can be delivered more easily through a screen rather than just voice.
Add the fact that Amazon is rolling out Alexa+ for users who have an Echo Show 8 or 10, 15 or 21 at home (but it will be compatible with a broader range of products), and you can begin to see why Amazon may be putting more emphasis on smart displays rather than smart speakers. The brand hasn’t been able to monetize customers’ fundamental interactions with their smart speakers.
I can admit my mistakes (but I still believe I’m right) (19659019]
I underestimated the second-generation Echo Show 15 as well as the all-new Echo Show 21. With Alexa+ these devices can work both as media centers and smart displays… If you have Alexa+.
Nevertheless, I’m not the most pleased with standalone devices that require additional subscription fees. Alexa+ is $19.99, or it’s free with an Amazon Prime membership. The Echo Show 15 and 21 cost $299/PS299 and PS399/$399 respectively.
These larger Show displays, without an Alexa+ description are still a little out of place compared to other smart displays that we’ve seen, both from Amazon and its competitors.
This leaves me thinking that the audience Amazon is targeting for its larger displays are those who are most interested Alexa+. It’s a frustrating situation when we have little to no control over the pricing strategy. If Amazon adopts a similar strategy to its Ring subscription program, which has undergone several controversial iterations over the past few years, Alexa+ fans who invest in a larger Echo Show may find themselves frustrated if they can no longer afford Alexa+ or use it, and that device is not as useful as before.
I would be surprised if there were any major changes in the value proposition for Alexa+, or even Amazon’s larger Echo Shows, over the next few years. It might pay to be a early adopter.
The future will tell. Perhaps when we get Alexa+ in our hands, we can simply ask it questions.
- Amazon’s new AI-powered Alexa+, which is more fun than Siri or ChatGPT and I like it.
- Want Alexa+ to try? Here are the Echo devices that will work with Alexa+
