- Amazon just announced a devices event for February 26
- The event graphic invites us to “see what’s next”
- Amazon will likely use the stage to finally show off its next-generation Alexa
We’ve all been wondering where the AI-infused Alexa is, and it seems like the technology giant is nearly ready to tell us. Amazon just sent out invites for a devices-focused event on February 26. Panos Panay, Amazon’s SVP of Devices, will be there alongside other devices and services team members, and we have a teaser image with a very familiar shade of blue. The event will be in New York City, though it is invite-only, and Amazon will not be livestreaming it.
Amazon promises we’ll “see what’s next”. That is the only featured text on the invite, alongside the brand’s logo and the date. It’s not much to go off, though it does tease products and services. Maybe the biggest hint is a swirly shape in bright blue – maybe a portion of a lowercase script ‘a’.
We all know that Amazon’s working on its next generation of the Alexa virtual assistant, which was shown off at the last formal devices event held in September 2023 at the company’s second HQ in Virginia. Since then, though, we haven’t had much news aside from leaks that it’s being worked on and will eventually debut.
Amazon skipped a formal devices event in 2024, but several still trickled out throughout the year – most notably a new lineup of Kindles in October. There was also the supersized Echo Show 21 alongside a next-gen Echo Show 15 in November, and the Echo Spot was reintroduced over the summer. All three of these, as well as the rest of the Echo lineup, still feature the same old Alexa assistant that we’ve all come to know.
That same version of Alexa is also on the new Fire TV devices – an entry-level streaming stick and the first mini LED-powered TV models. It remains to be seen if these devices will get the Alexa first teased in September 2023 with an LLM backing for a more conversational tone, and if the rumored ‘brain transplant’ will be supported.
Premium Alexa?
Suffice to say, Amazon is clearly ready to talk about something, and it seems that all signs are pointing to the next generation of Alexa. The use of “Devices and Services” is also worth a callout, as it’s rumored that Amazon might end up charging for Alexa. Amazon might also debut some new hardware, which could be a next-generation full-size Echo speaker, or even an update to the bite-sized Dot.
We’ll know more soon as the event is just three weeks away, and TechRadar will be on the ground, breaking down what Panos and the team at Amazon unveil. Let us know in the comments what you think might be shown off and if you’d pay for more intelligent, more capable Alexa.
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jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol)
