Amazon Echo Show 8 And Echo Show 5 Get A 2021 Camera Upgrade

Amazon has revealed two new smart displays, and while the 2021 updates to the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 5 may not have an auto-swiveling screen like the Echo Show 10, they're also a lot more affordable. Both get upgraded cameras, with the Echo Show 8 adding digital panning and zooming for video calls to help keep you centered int the frame as you move around.

Where the Echo Show 10 does that by physically moving the whole smart display around, the Echo Show 8 relies on a wide-angle, 13-megapixel camera instead. From that, it can pan and crop to make sure whoever is in-frame stays centered.

It'll work with either an individual person, or with multiple people. Amazon plans to add in animated visual and audio in-call reactions, too, such as hearts, laughs, and falling confetti. There'll be augmented reality (AR) effects too, to make it look like you're in a street art scene, a classic painting, or other environments.

The 8-inch screen is HD resolution, and supports adaptive color to adjust to the lighting conditions in the room. Inside, there's a new, faster octa-core processor, Amazon says, along with dual stereo speakers for a bump in audio quality. On the software side, Alexa rules the roost as usual, but there's also a shared home screen option now which allows approved family and friends to share their photos and have them appear on your display.

The new Echo Show 8 (2021) is priced at $129.99, and will be offered in Charcoal and Glacier White. Preorders are open from today, and the two new smart displays will ship from June.

Amazon's smaller version of the smart display is now also cheaper. The Echo Show 5 (2021) keeps the 5.5-inch screen, but pairs it with a new HD camera that Amazon says packs double the pixels. It doesn't have the auto pan/zoom of the bigger model, but you can still use it for Drop In calls – if enabled – along with remotely accessing it through the Alexa app for security.

It'll also help with Alexa's updated Routines. For instance, you could have a lighting Routine triggered automatically when you walk within view of the camera. Soon, Amazon says, there'll be support for audio triggers too, recognizing sounds such as a baby crying, dog barking, or coughing or snoring.

The Echo Show 5 Kids, meanwhile, gets a vibrant makeover for kids' rooms. It has child-friendly clocks, plus supports video calls to pre-approved contacts. If you've got an Amazon Kids+ subscription you can have audiobooks and more read out to young users, with matching on-screen graphics.

The Echo Show 5 (2021) is priced at $84.99, and will be available in Charcoal, Glacier White, and Deep Sea Blue. The Echo Show 5 Kids (2021) is $94.99 and comes with a 1 year Amazon Kids+ subscription and a 2-year worry-free guarantee. Preorders are open from today, and the two new smart displays will ship from June.