What to expect from Amazon’s September 28 event

Update: Amazon’s fall product announcement is happening today! The company isn’t offering a public live stream, but we’ll be liveblogging the entire thing, so watch our feed for the absolute latest. Amazon’s annual fall Devices & Services event is just around the corner.

It will air starting at 9 a.m. PT on Wednesday, September 28. The event is virtual and by invitation only, so you’ll just have to tune in here to Digital Trends to stay on top of any announcements.

There’s a lot we hope to see from the event, but as the date creeps closer, rumors have begun to make their way into mainstream. And when it comes to this event, rumors can’t be discounted. The Amazon Astro and Ring Always Home Cam were whispers before the event confirmed them.

Either way, it’s safe to assume you can see new Echo devices, and likely more products from Amazon’s many subsidiaries like Ring and Blink.

Look for a new Amazon Echo

Last year saw the announcement and subsequent launch of the Echo Show 15, but what we didn’t see were new smart speakers. The Echo 4th Gen is now two years old, which is about the average generation time for Amazon. The Echo 3rd Gen launched in 2018, after all.

With every new iteration of the Echo comes a new model of the Echo Dot, too, so if the Echo 5th Gen makes an appearance, it’s a safe bet that a new Dot will as well. This is bolstered even more by a recent Federal Communications Commisssion (FCC filing) for a new Amazon product. It’s listed as a “digital media receiver.” As for looks or features, Amazon is remarkably skilled at keeping information like this close to the vest, but conclusions can be drawn based on past announcements.

Echo Dot (4th Gen) on shelf in kitchen.

If we had to guess, the Echo Dot 5th Gen will keep its spherical shape simply because that’s the most popular design at the moment (just look at the HomePod Mini), while the Echo 5th Gen might look something like the Nest Audio.

Ring Always Home Cam

The Ring Always Home Cam captured our attentions and imaginations at last year’s event; after all, who doesn’t want a flying home security drone?

Although the Ring Always Home Cam is a confirmed product, it’s still not available for purchase except by invitation.

The Ring Always Home Cam and its charging dock.

There hasn’t been a lot of news about it since then. Given that the Ring Always Home Cam already exists, it’s not unreasonable to expect an announcement of widespread availability — or maybe even improvements based on customer feedback over the past year.

Amazon Astro

Like the Ring Always Home Cam, the Amazon Astro was another experimental product. Amazon describes it as a “household robot” for home security, and we have to admit that it’s downright cute.

It’s also only available for purchase through invitation, and at £1,000, it’s a pricey investment for something that’s a glorified security camera.

It is a step in the right direction, though, and we would love to see improvements on the Astro announced at this year’s event.

A greater environmental focus

Amazon has taken a more environmentally friendly focus with its devices lately, and a recent Amazon blog post talks about the benefit of doing so. The company seeks to reduce its overall carbon footprint and use more recyclable materials in the production of its smart devices.

An updated Echo Show

Both the Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) and the Echo Show 15 released last year. Although Amazon’s smart displays typically follow a launch schedule similar to their smart speakers, the displays also bring a significant increase in functionality.

There have been whispers of a new smart display (or even just an updated version of one of the existing displays) that could appear at this year’s event. The Echo Show 15 is a pretty incredible device — you can read our full review here — but there are still areas where it can improve, both on the hardware and software sides.

More focus on Matter

The current estimated release for Matter is sometime in fall 2022. Amazon has pledged support for the initiative, so an increased focus on Matter-compatible devices wouldn’t be a surprise.

This would mean more devices could interact with Alexa, which would not only broaden the entire platform, but would make the smart home easier to access for everyone.

Amazon has always been good about keeping a lid on rumors, and this year seems to be an extreme example of that.

There haven’t been many leaks, but we’ll keep our ears to the ground and update this piece as more details emerge

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