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Amazon announced the Echo Show 16, a 16-inch Alexa smart display priced at $499.99, with preorders open and release planned for later this year. A hands-on report describes customizable home screens, redesigned household tools and Fire TV, while leaving questions about microphone performance and the value of its high price.
Amazon has announced the Echo Show 16, a large Alexa-powered smart display priced at $499.99, and opened preorders ahead of a release later this year. A hands-on report by The Verge describes a redesigned device meant to serve as a household hub, with customizable home screens for calendars, meal planning, photos and smart-home controls.
The Echo Show 16’s main new feature is Screen Styles, a set of customizable home screens. Options include a family organizer, a smart-home dashboard, an Alexa widgets screen and a digital photo frame. Users can set a screen to remain visible or have it appear when they approach the device, according to The Verge’s hands-on report.
The display has a full HD screen and a slim design with narrower bezels than the Echo Show 15 or 21. The report found the screen bright and clear, and described its sound as better than a tablet and comparable to the Echo Show 11. Amazon says the device has eight custom woofers and two tweeters. The reviewer said music sounded clear and loud but lacked some depth; they did not test whether the device’s four microphones improve Alexa’s ability to hear commands.
Amazon is also adding a redesigned calendar interface and a Cooking Library that can use recipes from Alexa’s database, emailed recipes or uploaded recipe photos. The device runs the full Fire TV interface and includes a redesigned Alexa remote. The standard model costs $499.99, including a wall mount; an anti-glare Nanomatte display option costs $569.99. The source reports a $100 preorder discount, though its terms and availability are not specified.
The Echo Show 16 reflects Amazon’s effort to make a smart display useful without requiring people to start every interaction with a voice command. Persistent screens for household schedules, meals and devices could make the display more practical as a shared family organizer than a screen used mainly to show information after an Alexa request.
Its price is a major part of the decision. At $499.99, the Show 16 costs twice as much as the $250 Echo Show 11, according to The Verge’s comparison, and the report says it is $200 more than Apple’s new HomeView smart display. That premium means the appeal will depend on whether buyers value the larger screen, household tools and Fire TV enough to justify the extra cost. The hands-on report raises that value question but does not establish how the device will perform in homes over time.
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From Voice Display to Family Organizer
Amazon’s Echo Show devices have gradually gained features beyond voice assistance, but the company’s displays have generally centered on Alexa, with the screen supplying visual information alongside spoken responses. The Verge describes the Echo Show 16 as a step toward making the screen itself a more direct interface, particularly through home screens that can remain available or respond when someone approaches.
The device shares design and development work with Amazon’s new Alexa Tablet Pro 12. Amazon head of devices and services Panos Panay told The Verge that “a lot of the same work went into this as the tablet.” The Show 16 uses a MediaTek processor rather than Amazon’s AZ3 chip, according to the report, and offers Nanomatte as an anti-glare screen upgrade. Its large, thin form can be wall-mounted or placed on one of two optional stands; the reviewer noted that it may feel oversized on a kitchen counter.
“Will continue to offer the broad variety of content, just as it does now.”
— Aidan Marcuss, incoming vice president of Alexa and Echo, speaking to The Verge
Questions Before the Home Test
The hands-on took place at a media event, so several everyday-use questions remain open. The Verge’s reviewer did not test the four-microphone setup and could not say whether Alexa hears better on the larger device. The report also does not establish how well the new screens, calendar or meal-planning tools work during regular household use.
Amazon confirmed to The Verge that Alexa Recommendations can include full-screen ads, but said they will appear only on that screen and that users can turn the recommendations off. The company did not demonstrate that screen at the event, and the report does not detail all of its settings or the exact preorder discount terms. Long-term performance, software support and the release date within the stated later-this-year window are also not specified.
Preorders Ahead of Release
The Echo Show 16 is available to preorder, with Amazon planning to release it later this year. Buyers can choose the $499.99 standard screen or the $569.99 Nanomatte option; the wall mount is included with the standard model, while the two stands are optional. Amazon’s reported $100 preorder discount may reduce the effective price, but shoppers should check the current listing for its terms.
Further hands-on testing and customer reviews will provide a clearer picture of microphone performance, screen responsiveness in daily use and whether the household features justify the cost. Until then, the announced specifications and a limited media-event demonstration are the main available evidence.
Key Questions
How much does the Amazon Echo Show 16 cost?
The standard Echo Show 16 is listed at $499.99, with a wall mount included. The Nanomatte anti-glare display option is listed at $569.99. The source reports a $100 preorder discount but does not give its terms.
When will the Echo Show 16 be released?
Amazon has opened preorders and says the device will be released later this year. A specific release date is not provided in the source material.
What can the Echo Show 16 do?
Its Screen Styles include a family organizer, smart-home dashboard, Alexa widgets and a photo frame. It also offers calendar and meal-planning features, smart-home controls and the full Fire TV interface.
Can users turn off ads on the Echo Show 16?
According to Amazon’s incoming Alexa and Echo vice president, full-screen ads can appear on the Alexa Recommendations screen, not on other home screens. The source says users can turn off Alexa Recommendations.
Source: theverge.com
