Amazon India has unveiled two new smart home devices, expanding its lineup with the Echo Show 11 and the fourth-generation Echo Show 8. These Alexa-powered smart displays feature a fresh design and smarter home capabilities, targeting users who desire a larger screen, better sound quality, and enhanced control over their connected homes.
Modern Design and Larger Screens
The Echo Show 11 and Echo Show 8 boast edge-to-edge glass screens with slim bezels, giving them a modern appearance and more screen space compared to earlier models available in India. The Echo Show 11 comes with an 11-inch display, while the Echo Show 8 offers an 8.7-inch screen. Amazon claims this new design improves viewing comfort for everyday activities such as watching videos, checking recipes, or making video calls.
Powerful Performance with Advanced Sensors
At the core of these devices is Amazon's custom AZ3 Pro chip, which ensures quicker responses and smoother performance. They also run on a new Omnisense sensor platform that integrates various sensors, including a 13-megapixel camera, audio input, ultrasound, motion and temperature detection, and Wi-Fi signals.
These sensors enable Alexa to respond automatically to environmental changes. For instance, the device can turn on lights when someone enters a room or start routines when a room reaches a specific temperature.
Easy Control and Smart Home Integration
Users can operate these smart displays through either the touch screen or simple voice commands. They can control compatible smart home devices, manage daily tasks like calendars and shopping lists, play music, and ask for recipes or reminders. Setting up smart home routines is straightforward via the Alexa app, making home automation accessible even for first-time users.
Enhanced Entertainment and Audio Quality
The latest Echo Show models cater to entertainment needs by allowing streaming of music, podcasts, or audiobooks from popular platforms. The larger screen simplifies watching TV shows, movies, workout classes, or cooking lessons. Videos can be played using Alexa voice commands, reducing the need for constant screen interaction.
Sound quality has seen significant improvements. Both devices feature a new audio setup with front-facing stereo speakers and a custom woofer, delivering deeper bass, clearer vocals, and room-filling sound ideal for music, videos, and calls.
Video Calling and Privacy Features
For video calling and home monitoring, the Echo Show 11 and Echo Show 8 include a 13-megapixel camera with auto-framing and noise reduction. Users can make clearer video calls to friends and family, check on loved ones using the Drop In feature, or view live feeds from compatible security cameras and video doorbells on a single screen.
Privacy remains a key focus. The devices come equipped with physical buttons to turn off the microphone and camera, along with options to delete voice recordings in the Alexa app.
Pricing and Availability
The Echo Show 11 is priced at Rs 26,999, while the Echo Show 8 costs Rs 23,999. Both are available in Graphite and Glacier White colour options and can be purchased online as well as from select offline retail stores.
Amazon has confirmed that these new Echo Show devices are built to support Alexa+, its upcoming generative AI-powered assistant, once it becomes available in India.
