It's Amazon's turn to show off new devices: All eyes on Alexa+, Echo and Kindle

Amazon is gearing up for a major launch event on Tuesday, where it is expected to reveal significant upgrades to its range of devices. The event will commence at 10 a.m. ET and will feature insights from Panos Panay, the head of Amazon's extensive devices and services division. Media invitations earlier this month hinted at new products, showcasing what appears to be an Echo smart speaker, Fire TV, Ring doorbell, and a Kindle e-reader. In a recent Bloomberg TV interview, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy teased that a 'brand new lineup of devices' compatible with the upgraded Alexa+ would debut this fall. Feedback on Alexa+, the enhanced version of Amazon's voice assistant powered by generative AI, has been mixed. For instance, Jeff Finlay, a 61-year-old IT manager from Ohio, gained access to Alexa+ in late June after joining the beta program in March. Finlay, who owns seven Echo devices, expressed disappointment, stating that Alexa+ has 'worsened some of the functions' he previously relied on. He specifically noted that the new weather forecasts are less informative than those provided by the original Alexa assistant, known as Big Sky. While Wired noted in July that the latest Alexa iteration offers a more natural conversational experience, TechCrunch reported in August that the service still struggles with accuracy, often making errors and revealing itself as 'very much like a beta product.' Traditionally, Amazon hosts an annual showcase in the fall to unveil a variety of new hardware and software. However, this year, the company deviated from that tradition by holding a separate event in February, where they announced a comprehensive redesign of the Alexa assistant. Since then, Amazon has gradually provided early access to Alexa+, although it is not yet widely available to the public. Users must own newer versions of the Echo Show, which features a touch screen and voice control. Currently, over a million users have been granted access to Alexa+, which marks a first for Amazon as it introduces a subscription model for its digital assistant. The service is priced at $19.99 a month, but Prime members can access it for free as part of their $139 annual membership. Alexa has become a significant revenue stream for Amazon, with more than 600 million Alexa devices sold globally, including both Amazon-branded products and third-party devices. As competitors like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini gain traction, Amazon is under increasing pressure to enhance its hardware and software for the generative AI era. Additionally, in July, the company confirmed its acquisition of Bee, an AI wearables startup that produces a wristband capable of recording and transcribing conversations. Amazon has also begun integrating generative AI into its Ring smart home security products, indicating that its ambitions in the AI device sector extend beyond just Alexa and Echo smart speakers.