Amazon Echo Lineup Expands With Next-Gen Buds, Pop, And Show 5

Amazon doesn't seem to be in a rush to join the generative AI train, despite Alexa being one of the most popular voice assistants of its ilk on the market. A sharp internal pullback from those efforts may have something to do with that.

AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft's Bing are lapping the earliest voice assistants in capability. However, Echo devices are still so plentiful in homes that smart home hardware makers still proudly advertise Alexa compatibility. Amazon is keeping that train on track with all-new Echo hardware announcements today.

Amazon has expanded the Echo lineup with four new devices. We're getting refreshments of the Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids, plus a new generation of the Alexa-enabled Echo Buds. A brand new form factor is also coming in the Echo Pop, which offers an even more affordable entry point for exploring the growing smart home ecosystem.

Retailing at $89.99, the Echo Show 5 smart display sports a redesigned speaker that "doubles" the bass compared to the previous generation. We're unsure which metric Amazon uses to quantify that improvement, and how discernible a difference that'll make to the listening experience.

It's also touting a more capable microphone array, plus a 20% speed improvement thanks to the AZ2 Neural Edge processor. Matter support is also in tow, meaning it's future-proofed to handle the new smart home connectivity standard that should eliminate friction between devices of different brands.

Amazon didn't clarify whether the refreshed Echo Show 5 Kids adopts all of those changes. It probably does, especially considering it's $10 more expensive, but parents probably don't want their kids having control of smart home features anyway, so those comprehensive parental controls will come in handy.

What we know for certain is it'll hit the scene with a new space-themed design and new themes for its Create with Alexa feature, including Dinosaurs and Jazzy Jungle. The device also includes a two-year worry-free guarantee and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.

The Echo Pop is the only truly new product line in this trio of speaker launches. At $39.99, this semi-sphere, compact speaker designed for small spaces is officially the cheapest Echo speaker you can buy, undercutting the spherical Echo Dot by $10. It uses the Amazon AZ2 chip like the bigger Echo devices, but doubles as a signal extender when paired to an existing eero network. It'll look nice on a desk or dresser in Lavender Bloom and Midnight Teal colors, in addition to the traditional Charcoal and Glacier White.

Meanwhile, the new Echo Buds proposition you with a dramatic drop in price compared to the previous generation: they're now $49.99, down from the previous $119.99. Mimicking the AirPods' pipe design, Amazon stuffed 12mm drivers inside (up from 5.7mm), but does not mention active noise cancellation, which could explain the huge price gap.

These also offer five hours of listening time on a single charge, and up to 20 hours of total listening time with the charging case (five hours more than the current Echo Buds). Of course, it retains the hallmark feature of its Echo-branded namesake: hands-free Alexa access. With identical names, Amazon implies these will eventually replace the original Echo Buds.

One last surprise for those who fancy a dedicated Alexa device in the car: Echo Auto availability is expanding to eight new countries. It's launching in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan.