Amazon has officially(opens in a new tab) sold half a billion Alexa-enabled devices globally, and it’s celebrating the only way it knows how: by selling even more devices.
When is Amazon Prime Day 2023? We’ve got some predictions.
The company unveiled four budget-friendly additions to its Echo lineup Wednesday, including the all-new Echo Pop smart speaker, a next-generation Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids, and some pared-down Echo Buds. All of them are priced under $100 and available for preorder now:
The new Echo Pop ($39.99)
I just wanna stay in that Lavender… Bloom?
Credit: Amazon
Designed to add a *pop* of color and sound to small spaces, the new Echo Pop is Amazon’s newest, maybe cutest entry-level smart speaker. It packs a 1.95 front-firing speaker, eero WiFi support, and a built-in Alexa assistant into a funky, semi-spherical design that sort of looks like someone hacked an Echo Dot(opens in a new tab) in half (removing $10 from its price tag in the process). Take your pick from two new colors in addition to Amazon’s standard Charcoal and Glacier White: Midnight Teal and Lavender Bloom.
The Echo Pop is priced at $39.99 and is set for release on Wednesday, May 31.
The new Echo Show 5 ($89.99) and Echo Show 5 Kids ($99.99)
Credit: Amazon
Credit: Amazon
Amazon updated its most popular smart display with a sleeker form factor in a new Cloud Blue finish, a snappier AZ2 Neural Edge processor, an extra mic, and an improved speaker system that has clearer sound and double the bass of the 2021 model. Its 5.5-inch, 960 x 480 resolution display and 2MP built-in camera have carried over from its predecessor, which costs $5 less.(opens in a new tab)
Priced at $89.99, the next-gen Echo Show 5 launches on May 31.
Featuring a new Galaxy finish, the kid-friendly version of the new Echo Show 5 comes with parental controls, a two-year worry-free guarantee, and a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+(opens in a new tab). (That unlocks a slew of books, movies, and TV shows from brands like Disney, Nickelodeon, and PBS Kids designed for ages 3 to 12.) It costs $10 more than the standard version, and it also ships on May 31.
The new Echo Buds ($49.99)
Amazon went back to basics with its new Echo Buds.
Credit: Amazon
Amazon’s third-generation wireless earbuds have been overhauled with a much simpler semi-in-ear design that’s accompanied by a much cheaper price. They support multi-device pairing and customizable tap controls and offer a measly five hours of battery life, but you can bump that up to 20 hours using their included charging case and give them two hours of juice with a quick 15-minute charge. They don’t come with active noise cancellation or swappable silicone ear tips like the predecessors from 2021, but they’re also a whole $70 cheaper(opens in a new tab).
The new Echo Buds will retail for $49.99 when they make their grand debut on Wednesday, June 7, but you can lock in a pair at the introductory price of $39.99 when you reserve ahead of time.
