Amazon confirmed rumours of a touchscreen Echo with the launch of Echo Show. It’s currently available on the Amazon site for pre-order with a price tag of $229.99, which is about €210.
Leaks circulating earlier in the week proved to be true but now the product is
listed in the Amazon store there’s a lot more detail on functionality.
Video calling is the headline extra feature of the unit and it’s been added alongside a new functionality called “Drop In”. This allows designated users to make a call with the unit offering ten seconds for a receiver to reject a call or select audio only. For now, calls are only supported for users with the Alexa app but integration with services such as Skype could be on the cards.
In addition to Echo features users are already familiar with, Echo Show will also display extra information on Alexa queries. So if you ask it for a weather forecast you’ll get a graphic representation as well as a spoken reply.
It will play videos from sources such as Amazon Video and YouTube or news sites. It can be used as a digital photo frame, integrated with WiFi security cameras and will display lyrics to songs being played.
Amazon has also added an 8th microphone. The screen is 7-in and is accompanied by a five-megapixel camera and a couple of 2-in speakers.
Echo Show is shipping on June 28, 2017.