Amazon unveils new generation of AI-powered Kindle and other devices

NEW YORK — Online juggernaut Amazon Inc. unveiled its next generation of Kindle, Ring and Echo devices, among other gadgets, that are all powered by artificial intelligence and connected to Alexa+, its AI-infused personal assistant, which made its debut in February.

The lineup, announced at a presentation and showcase in New York, includes new cameras for its Ring video monitoring device with a new AI facial recognition feature that allows users to register friends and family and notify them who is at the front door.

Amazon unveiled four new Echo devices revamped with Alexa+ that serve up personalized insights such as whether the user left the front door unlocked after midnight.

The Seattle-based company also announced a series of Alexa+-infused Fire TVs that offer more personalized searches like finding a specific scene in a movie or getting commentary about a football game.

The presentation Tuesday was the first big product event for Panos Panay, who joined Amazon in 2023 to head up the company's devices and services teams after a 19-year career at Microsoft, where he served as chief product officer.

Panay told the audience of several hundred journalists and bloggers that Alexa+ and artificial intelligence allow technology to work "in the background when you don't."

"Products creating subtle shifts in all our behavior, driven by AI, integrated into the hardware," he said. "And flowing natural through the products themselves. Whether it's a camera catching what you missed. Or your Fire TV updating you on a game. Or your Kindle remembering exactly where you left off."

The new lineup comes as Amazon faces pressure from investors to cater to the new AI era.

PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore wrote in a note Tuesday that the offerings were "a much needed refresh to the lineup, as it was starting to look a bit dated."

"Attention to detail may not grab headlines, but it should not be overlooked, especially how the products look and feel, " he wrote."The latest generation of devices is designed to blend into users' lives without them realizing they exist … Alexa+ is clearly the glue that holds the stack together…"

Here are some highlights.

A more powerful doorbell

Amazon has expanded its home security features since the company bought Wi-Fi-connected cameras and doorbell maker Ring in 2018. Amazon said Tuesday it infused the device with more technology and upgraded cameras that will transform the device into a doorbell attendant and community tool for pet owners, among other new uses.

Amazon said the ring cameras with retinal vision now come with 2K resolution for sharper detail and 4K resolution video. Amazon's new AI facial recognition feature, called Familiar Faces, allows the user to register friends and family members. The smart doorbell, infused with Alexa+, also will be able to manage deliveries and provide instructions for delivery workers, among other tasks.

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It has a new feature that helps owners reunite lost dogs with their families. It works like this: a neighbor reports a lost dog in the Ring app, which would notify people nearby with a Ring camera. The cameras then would use AI to look for a possible match with the lost dog.

Ring Wired Doorbell Pro, priced at $249.99 and wired doorbell plus, priced at $179.99, among other Ring cameras, will be available for pre-order Tuesday, Amazon said. Ring's "Search Party" for dogs will begin rolling out in November, followed by cats and other pets. Alexa+ Greetings and Familiar Faces will be offered in December.

Updated lineup of Kindle Scribes

Amazon unveiled new versions of the Kindle Scribe that the company touts as lighter and faster and feature an AI-powered notebook search. One of them includes a color screen.

The new Scribes feature larger 11-inch, glare-free E Ink screens — up from 10.2 inches previously. They now weigh 400 grams compared to 433 grams for last year's version, the company said. Executives noted that, at 5.4 millimeters thick, these new versions are thinner than the iPhone Air, which measure 5.6 millimeters.

The new versions of Scribe will allow users to access documents stored on Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, the company said.

Amazon said that later this year in the U.S., Kindle Scribe will be available starting at $499.99 and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will be offered starting at $629.99.

New Alexa+ empowered Echo Devices

Amazon unveiled four new Echo loud speaker devices — the Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11— that are specifically for Alexa+ and allow for more personalized experiences.

The new offerings, which start at $99.99, come as Amazon reports that those customers with early Alexa+ are engaging with the personal assistant twice as much and relying on it to do tasks like booking reservations and controlling smart home devices.

The new features recognize users and churns out personalized insights such as an analysis of how they slept the prior night.

The company said all four new Echo devices are available for pre-order starting Tuesday.

Amazon unveils new generation of AI-powered Kindle and other devices