Amazon has just taken the wraps off of three new Echo Show models today. The Echo Show 5, Echo Show 5 Kids, and Echo Show 8.
On the surface, these are mostly just minor refreshes of the current Echo Show lineup. And not a major overhaul like the Echo Show 10 was earlier this year.
Amazon Alexa’s senior vice president, Tom Taylor stated that “Customers love using Echo Show to stay in touch and in the past year have made nearly three times the number of video calls than the prior year. With these new Echo Show devices, we focused on communications – bringing a powerful camera and digital pan and zoom capabilities to the new Echo Show 8, upgrading the Echo Show 5 camera and adding new AR effects to make video calls more fun and engaging.”
What’s new?
The Echo Show 5 gets a new camera. Which is important on such a small display. It’s an upgraded HD camera, Amazon is not mentioning the megapixel count here, but does say that it has double the pixels. The Echo Show 5 is also coming in more colors this time around. Adding a Deep Sea Blue to the mix.
On the Echo Show 8, it has a new 13-megapixel camera that is now a wide-angle sensor and is able to pan to keep you in the frame. It also has a new shared home screen, approved family and friends can also share recent photos with you, and they will appear on your screen. So you don’t miss a moment.
Then there’s the Echo Show 5 Kids. It comes in some playful colors, but the biggest changes here come with Amazon Kids+ which is a subscription service that costs $2.99 per month. And you get it free for a year with the purchase of the Echo Show 5 Kids. You also get a 2-year worry-free guarantee. Like with the Fire Tablets for Kids. So if you kid breaks the Echo Show 5 Kids, Amazon will replace it, no questions asked.
Pricing and availability
The pricing is mostly remaining the same as the current crop of Echo Show displays, though the Echo Show 5 is now $5 cheaper. The Echo Show 5 is $84.99, Echo Show 5 Kids is $94.99 and the Echo Show 8 is $129.99.
Pre-orders are open for all three devices today and will start shipping next month.
