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Amazon has added a built-in smart home hub to the new Echo Dot and a camera to a new Echo Studio. The Dot is priced at $99.99 and the camera-equipped Studio at $249.99; a camera-free Echo Studio remains available for $219.99.
Amazon has announced two updated Echo speakers: an Echo Dot with a built-in smart home hub and an Echo Studio fitted with a camera for Alexa+. The new Dot costs $99.99, while the camera-equipped Studio costs $249.99, adding home-device control and visual assistance to products that have traditionally centered on audio.
The upgraded Echo Dot supports Zigbee, Matter and Thread, protocols used by compatible smart home devices such as lights, locks and thermostats. Amazon says the built-in hub lets users connect compatible devices without purchasing a separate smart home hub. The speaker keeps the Dot’s familiar fabric-covered spherical design, according to Digital Trends.
Amazon also says the new Dot produces 50% more bass than its predecessor. It includes an AZ3 chip for Alexa+, a fourth microphone intended to improve voice pickup, and Omnisense technology that can detect room temperature and presence. Those sensors could support routines such as turning on lights when someone enters or adjusting a thermostat when a room gets cold. The report describes these as possible uses, not as a guarantee that every routine will work with every setup.
The Dot has a built-in eero Wi-Fi extender that Amazon says can add up to 1,000 square feet of coverage, but only for people who already use an eero network. A Kids edition starts at $109.99. Amazon’s other speaker update puts a camera in the Echo Studio: Alexa+ can use it to recognize objects presented to the device, such as a board-game box or cereal package. The camera also supports Live View in the Alexa app; video calls through compatible Fire TV devices are planned for later.
Two Echo Speakers, New Home Roles
The changes push the Echo Dot beyond voice commands and music playback by letting it serve as a connection point for compatible smart home devices. Buyers who have been putting off a separate hub may be able to connect supported products directly to the speaker, though compatibility still depends on the devices and network they own. The added temperature and presence sensing also gives Amazon a way to support more room-based routines from a single device.
The Studio’s camera is a more visible change to how a smart speaker works. Amazon is positioning it as a way for Alexa+ to respond to visual information, not just spoken requests. That may make tasks such as asking about a game or identifying a product easier, but it also brings a camera into a device people may keep in a shared room. Amazon says users can disable the camera and microphones with a button and that an LED lights when images or video are streamed to the cloud.
Price and choice are part of the announcement. The camera-equipped Studio costs $30 more than the camera-free version, which remains on sale for $219.99. That gives shoppers an option to avoid the camera, while the Dot’s hub features may appeal to households trying to reduce the number of separate smart home devices. The practical value will depend on how well the new features work with a buyer’s existing setup.
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Amazon Expands Its Alexa Lineup
The two speakers are part of a broader new Alexa device lineup that, according to Digital Trends, also includes the Echo Show 16, Echo Time smart clock and Alexa Photo Frame. The announcement adds functions to two familiar Echo categories rather than replacing their main roles as speakers and Alexa devices.
The Dot’s support for Zigbee, Matter and Thread matters because smart home products can use different connection standards. Amazon says the integrated hub supports compatible devices across those protocols, avoiding the need for a separate hub in some setups. The report does not provide a full compatibility list or specify whether every feature works across all three standards.
The new Dot’s arrival follows a competing smart-home announcement from Apple, described by Digital Trends as coming weeks earlier. That timing places Amazon’s additions in a broader contest over which companies’ devices control connected homes. The source does not provide details about the Apple products or a direct performance comparison, so the comparison is limited to timing and market focus.
“The new Echo Dot offers “50% more bass than before.””
— Amazon, as reported by Digital Trends
Compatibility, Privacy and Alexa+
The announcement details cited in the report do not establish which specific devices are compatible with the Dot’s hub, whether all protocol features are supported, or how the extender’s range will vary by home. Amazon’s 1,000-square-foot figure is an “up to” claim and depends on an existing eero network.
It is also not clear from the report exactly how Alexa+ processes images captured by the Studio, how long any images are retained, or whether visual features will be available to users without Alexa+. The source says some features require Alexa+, which is included with Prime, but does not identify every feature subject to that requirement. The camera can be disabled, though the report gives no further detail about controls for cloud processing or image storage.
The planned Fire TV video-calling feature is not available yet, and no release date is supplied. Amazon’s audio and Wi-Fi figures are company claims as relayed by Digital Trends; the source provides no independent tests or comparisons beyond those stated.
Availability and Later Features
Both updated speakers are available now at the announced prices: $99.99 for the Echo Dot and $249.99 for the camera-equipped Echo Studio. The Dot Kids edition starts at $109.99, and shoppers who do not want a camera can still buy the Echo Studio without one for $219.99.
Amazon has said video calls through compatible Fire TV devices are coming to the Studio later, but has not given a launch date in the reported material. Buyers considering the new features can check device compatibility and Alexa+ requirements before purchase, especially if they plan to use the Dot as a hub or the Studio’s camera-based functions.
Key Questions
What is new in the Echo Dot?
The updated Echo Dot has a built-in hub supporting Zigbee, Matter and Thread, plus an AZ3 chip for Alexa+, a fourth microphone and Omnisense temperature and presence sensing. Amazon also claims 50% more bass than the previous model.
What does the camera in the new Echo Studio do?
Amazon says the camera lets Alexa+ recognize objects shown to the speaker, such as a game box or cereal package. It supports Live View through the Alexa app; video calls through compatible Fire TV devices are planned for later.
How much do the new Echo speakers cost?
The updated Echo Dot costs $99.99, and its Kids edition starts at $109.99. The camera-equipped Echo Studio costs $249.99; a camera-free Echo Studio remains available for $219.99.
Can the Echo Studio camera be turned off?
According to Digital Trends, the Studio includes a button to disable the camera and microphones. An LED lights when images or video are streamed to the cloud. The report does not give further details about image retention or cloud-processing controls.
Does the Echo Dot’s Wi-Fi extender work without eero?
No. Amazon’s stated extender feature is for people who already use an eero network. The company says it can add up to 1,000 square feet of coverage, but actual coverage will depend on the home and setup.
Source: digitaltrends.com
