So it’s official: Amazon is finally launching Alexa+, the new AI-infused voice assistant that has been over a decade in the making. It marks the most significant upgrade of Alexa yet, injected with an unprecedented intelligence that brings every aspect of your schedule together in one harmonious place. It’s really quite impressive, but there’s one thing I think it lacks: a flagship Echo speaker.
Before Amazon announced Alexa+ at its Alexa event, I, like many others, had my list of expectations ready, and a new Echo speaker was at the top. Considering it’s been five years since its last smart speaker – the Amazon Echo (2020) – a hardware upgrade is more than overdue, but as Amazon’s 70-minute event went by, nothing was mentioned.
While it was difficult for me to suppress my disappointment amidst the excitement of the arrival of Alexa+, it’s clear that Amazon is saving its next-gen Echo smart speaker for another date. It’s exciting to think about what Amazon might have planned for that device, and now that we know Alexa+ is on the way, that makes room for major software and hardware upgrades for one of the best smart speakers out there. Having said that, these are the upgrades I want to see in Amazon’s next Echo speaker.
An integrated smart screen/ display
Over the past five years, Amazon has given its undivided attention to its line of Echo Show products, combining the Alexa voice assistant with smart display devices to make the Alexa experience more visual. From the release of the Echo Show 8 to its much larger 21.5 inch Echo Show 21 display, Alexa is becoming increasingly more visual, and it’s about time it came to Amazon’s Echo speaker family.
In 2024, Amazon revived its Echo Spot device, which looks like the basic Echo Pop speaker but has a small smart display – but it is not a smart speaker. Therefore, we know that Amazon can implement a smart screen into its next Echo speaker model; the proof is there. When paired with the new Alexa+ voice assistant, the next Echo speaker could be unstoppable.
More color options
Amazon’s color scheme has been translated into the designs of its Echo speakers, and while I love a strong brand image, I also want something that will pop. Though I recognize Amazon’s previous attempts at offering different color options to consumers (take a look at the Echo Pop and the Echo Dot Kids), there’s only so far you can go with black, white, blue, and grey tones.
For the next Echo speaker, I want to see Amazon take a bold leap with the color options. Imagine a sunset orange or a forest green Echo speaker beaming in the corner of your room – now that would make my music listening experiences pop.
Ambient lighting
Speaking of making the next Echo speaker pop, how cool would it be if Amazon’s next smart speaker model doubled as a speaker and lamp? My social media feed is inundated with interior design videos of apartments with the best ambient lighting I’ve seen, and nothing screams ‘I have my life together’ more than a cozy, warm lamp in the corner of your room.
I know that this would be a feature I would certainly take advantage of, and it means that I wouldn’t have to spend a fortune on the best smart lights if I had the ability to alter brightness, warmth, and change colors.
Improved audio quality with Dolby Atmos integration
Echo speakers make great smart speakers if you’re not the biggest audiophile and want something that will fill a room satisfactorily. For the past decade, Amazon has honed in on improving the responsiveness of its Echo speakers, reinforcing their role as smart home hubs, but I’d like to see some of that focus shift to enhancing its audio performance.
As someone who constantly uses their Echo speaker predominantly for music, be that streaming my favorite albums on Spotify or listening to some good old white noise, I’m always picking up on the imperfections of my speaker’s audio capabilities.
One thing I’d like from the next Amazon smart speaker isn’t necessarily a more dynamic volume, but instead fine-tuned vocals and a throbbing, robust bass. Dolby Atmos integration is a no-brainer and a necessity when it comes to the future Echo speaker, which would be a huge upgrade in itself.
Non-Fire TV device pairing
Music streaming and video streaming go hand-in-hand, and as well as a new audio upgrade, the final thing that I and Echo speaker users alike would like to see is compatibility with non-Fire TV devices.
This would effectivley make a huge difference for your home theater setup. At the moment, Amazon Echo speakers can connect to third-party devices such as PCs and TVs but through Bluetooth only, which often requires fiddling with the Alexa app. If Amazon introduced an improved compatibility feature with the next-gen Echo speaker, which lets it connect a smart speaker to a non-Fire TV device, the whole experience would be a lot smoother and more direct.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
