Amazon Unveils Echo Time Smart Alarm Clock, Alexa Photo Frame and Updated Echo Dot, Studio and Show 16 Devices

Amazon on Wednesday announced five new and updated Alexa-powered devices, expanding its Echo lineup with a smart alarm clock, a dedicated photo frame and refreshed speakers and a large smart display.

The company introduced the Echo Time, a bedside smart alarm clock, and the Alexa Photo Frame, a 10-inch digital frame that syncs with Amazon Photos. It also detailed an upgraded Echo Dot, a new Echo Studio with a built-in camera, and the Echo Show 16, a redesigned 16-inch smart display. Most of the devices are available for purchase immediately, while the Echo Show 16 is open for pre-order and is expected to ship later this year.

The Echo Time is a camera-free smart alarm clock priced at $199.99, or $209.99 for a Kids version. It uses ultrasonic and other sensors to detect when a user is in a lighter stage of sleep and can begin waking the person anywhere from 10 to 60 minutes before a set alarm time. Amazon said the device includes light-based wake features attuned to circadian rhythms, hundreds of clock faces and a circular screen that can dim to under 0.3 nits. A Kids edition adds Sleep Studio content and a year of Kids+ access. An optional stand is available separately.

The Alexa Photo Frame starts at $199.99 for a black model and $229 for versions with real birch or walnut frames. It features a 10-inch anti-glare touchscreen and is designed to resemble a traditional photo frame. The device integrates with Amazon Photos, which offers unlimited storage for Prime members. Amazon said Alexa+ can select and display photos based on faces, timing, lighting and sentiment, and users can add voice notes. The frame displays only photos and does not show advertisements.

Amazon also refreshed the Echo Dot. The new model, available today for $99.99 in graphite, glacier white, agave green and coral pink, includes an upgraded speaker, four beamforming microphones and an AZ3 chip intended to support faster conversations with Alexa+. It incorporates a built-in smart-home hub supporting Zigbee, Thread and Matter protocols, plus an Eero Wi-Fi extender. A Kids version costs $109.99 and includes a year of Kids+ and Sleep Studio access. Amazon said the speaker delivers improved bass and noise reduction for better voice recognition.

The Echo Studio with Home Camera adds a camera to Amazon's premium speaker. Priced at $249.99, the device allows users to view a live feed of a room, supports face recognition for personalization and can enable Alexa+ visual features based on what the camera sees. Amazon said the camera does not record continuous footage by default and can be used for Advanced Room Adaptation, which adjusts audio based on the number of people and room acoustics. The standard Echo Studio without a camera remains available. An optional stand costs $39.99.

The Echo Show 16 is the largest of the new devices. Pre-orders opened Wednesday for $499.99 for the standard model and $569.99 for a version with a Nanomatte anti-glare display; pre-order customers receive a $100 discount. Amazon said the unit is nearly 40 percent thinner with bezels 80 percent thinner than prior models and includes eight woofers and two tweeters. It features a 13-megapixel camera with night vision and visual identification from up to 17 feet, plus Fire TV integration. Screen Styles allow the display to function as a family organizer, photo frame, smart-home hub or Fire TV interface. The device supports Alexa Home Map and is designed primarily for wall mounting, with optional stands available.

The announcements continue Amazon's push to place Alexa+ throughout the home. The company has said certain features require Alexa+, which is included with a Prime membership. The devices compete in categories that include smart speakers, digital photo frames and large smart displays, where Amazon faces rivals including Apple.

Availability varies by product. The Echo Dot, Echo Studio with Home Camera, Echo Time and Alexa Photo Frame can be ordered now. The Echo Show 16 is expected to begin shipping by the end of the year. Color and finish options differ by model, and optional accessories such as stands are sold separately.

Amazon has positioned the lineup as tools for sleep tracking without wearables, family photo sharing, multi-room audio and whole-home control. The Echo Time is the company's first dedicated smart alarm clock in the Echo family, while the Alexa Photo Frame is its first purpose-built photo frame with built-in Alexa. The Echo Studio with Home Camera marks the first time Amazon has added a camera to its flagship speaker line, and the Echo Show 16 represents the largest and thinnest Echo Show to date.

Consumers can review privacy controls, including physical mute buttons on devices with cameras and microphones, through the Alexa app. Amazon has emphasized that the Echo Time contains no camera and that the Photo Frame is limited to displaying user photos. Further software updates and feature expansions for the new hardware are expected after launch.