Amazon debuted a more sophisticated version of Alexa on Wednesday that’s more conversational and can handle tasks on your behalf. But in a surprising departure from its usual playbook, the company didn’t announce new Echo devices to go with its revamped digital helper.
But that might not be the case for long.
While Panos Panay, head of Amazon’s devices and services business, wouldn’t say whether the company was considering a new version of its Alexa-enabled smart glasses with cameras to compete with Meta’s Ray-Bans, he did suggest that new products are in the works. “But I think you can imagine, there’s going to be a whole slew of AI devices that are coming,” he told CNN in an interview.
His remarks come as tech giants are racing to incorporate AI agents and chatbots into new devices. Apple’s artificial intelligence suite, Apple Intelligence, was the headlining feature of Apple’s iPhone 16 lineup, including the cheaper iPhone 16e that was just announced last week. Microsoft has also made its Copilot virtual helper the centerpiece of its ubiquitous Windows PC operating system.
Panay declined to offer more details on the nature of the “slew of AI devices.”
But he suggested new products would be part of a larger overall vision. “You can imagine… a constellation of devices that has to come together to make it a better experience,” Panay added.
Amazon already has a “constellation” of devices, from its Ring security cameras to its Eero Wi-Fi routers and, of course, its Echo smart speakers. And it’s starting to incorporate Alexa+ into some of those gadgets; Alexa+ will be able to answer questions about what happened in your home while you were gone based on Ring camera footage, for example. The company has also dabbled in smart rings and fitness trackers in addition to its Alexa-powered glasses.
But smart glasses, or glasses that have embedded virtual assistants and can play music and deliver phone notifications, are becoming more relevant thanks to improved AI models that can process both visual and speech input.
Meta’s Ray Ban glasses, which can translate language and answer questions about what a user is looking at, have seemingly caught on with people so far, at least somewhat. While the numbers pale in comparison to the numbers of consumer electronics, like iPhones, Ray-Ban parent company EssilorLuxottica reported this month that two million pairs have been sold since their 2023 debut.
Samsung and Google also announced last year that they’re building a new version of Android specifically for smart glasses in the future, hinting that a wave of new spectacles are likely to come.
But Amazon’s glasses, called the Echo Frames, lack cameras and arguably came too soon – long before the arrival of Alexa+ and other AI assistants that can process sight and sound simultaneously.
But for now, Amazon is keeping its focus on Alexa.
“We have an amazing lineup coming,” Panay said of future hardware devices. “But we also have an amazing lineup in market, and Alexa (is) so new.”