The Echo Show 15 can use its camera to identify who is in front of it and display customized information. Amazon says other accessories, like a stand for putting it out on the counter or an under-cabinet mount, will be available. Amazon did not say if the cord was rated for in-wall use when asked, either. But in the demos I was shown ahead of today’s announcement, the power cord for the Show 15 hung down from the display itself, and there was no obvious way to hide it. That picture frame aesthetic speaks to the Echo Show 15’s intended placement: hung on a wall in either portrait or landscape orientation. Say hello to Astro, Alexa on wheels Amazon marries Ring and Eero in a neat, white package Amazon’s race to create the disappearing computer Amazon Glow is a video chat gadget with built-in games to keep kids engaged
Amazon also announced that TikTok and Sling TV support is coming to its entire line of smart displays.
It’s the first Echo Show to support full HD resolution streaming from Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video, Hulu, and others. The larger screen also comes into play with the new picture-in-picture feature, which allows you to view a security camera feed or video doorbell while also looking at other content. Half the screen is always dedicated to the rotating home content seen on other Echo Show displays - the other half is where widgets live. Unfortunately, it won’t be possible to utilize the whole display with your own preferred items if you wanted to create a smart home dashboard, for example. The Echo Show 15 splits its screen between a standard Amazon smart display carousel and new widgets. Amazon is building a handful of these widgets itself, but it’s also developed an API that developers can use to add them to their Alexa Skills. Those widgets can be customized depending on your preferences, whether you want to show a calendar, to-do list, recipe recommendations, favorite smart home controls, or whatever. It’s capable of all the things prior Echo Show smart displays could do, such as playing music, showing weather reports, streaming video, controlling smart home gadgets, and all the other stuff you can ask Alexa for.īut the Show 15 leverages its larger screen to also show more useful, permanently placed widgets alongside the familiar carousel of headlines, third-party skill advertisements, and so on. It envisions it being placed in communal spaces - a living room, frequently accessed hallway, and, of course, the kitchen. It’s also got a different design than the company’s prior models - instead of being a touchscreen attached to a bulky speaker, the Echo Show 15 is flat and can be hung on the wall.Īmazon’s pitch for this smart display is for it to be a shared hub for families to see things like upcoming calendar appointments, to-dos, sticky note reminders, and shopping lists.
The new $249.99 Echo Show 15 is the largest smart display the company has released so far, with a 15-inch, 1080p HD display. Amazon is once again expanding its lineup of Echo Show smart displays, and this time, it’s going bigger.