Amazon just dropped invitations for its next big Devices & Services event, officially scheduled for Sept. — which could mean we’re in for a proper fall hardware blowout. The company skipped its usual large-scale showcase last year, opting instead for a trickle of Echo Shows, Fire TV updates, and new Kindle Colorsoft releases. Finally, the upcoming full-scale event is shaping up to be Amazon’s first big hardware party under Microsoft defector Panos Panay’s leadership.
We don’t know exactly what’s coming
The teaser indicates a wide selection of gadgets on the way
The invite, which went out this morning, is full of familiar silhouettes: a Kindle, what looks like a Fire TV or tablet screen, and a glowing Echo-style LED ring. It looks like Amazon’s way of telling us to expect news across all its major product lines. If history is any guide, we’re in for a marathon of announcements touching on ereaders, smart speakers, and streaming boxes, with a little Alexa+ sprinkled over everything.
We’re well overdue for some of this hardware. The entry-level Kindle hasn’t seen a refresh in a couple of years, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Paperwhite get some attention too — maybe even a color display option, in light of last year’s Kindle Colorsoft debut. On the Echo front, Amazon’s been steadily refreshing its lineup, but the standard Echo hasn’t had a real redesign in nearly five years. With Alexa+ now capable of leveraging a variety of powerful AI models suitable for various tasks, a smarter, faster Echo could be on the way.
Fire TV hardware is a bit of a wildcard. Amazon updated its Fire Sticks and even introduced a mini LED Fire TV last year, but the teaser image might hint at new streaming hardware or simply a revamped Fire tablet lineup. At this point, either would make sense ahead of the holiday shopping season.
With no word of leaks, it feels like Amazon might actually have a few surprises in store this year. Whatever’s coming, we’ll find out Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. ET, when Panay and his team take the stage in New York City.
-
Source: Amazon
Kindle Colorsoft
- Screen
-
7-inches
- Resolution
-
1264×1680 (300 PPI)
- Storage
-
16GB
- CPU
-
Dual-core 2GHZ Mediatek
The new Kindle Colorsoft keeps everything we love about Kindle, but now in color. Finally, book covers pop and comics look the way they should. Sure, it’s pricier than your average e-reader, but it nails that perfect Kindle feel while adding something fresh.
-
Source: Amazon - Chipset
-
Octa-Core SoC with Amazon AZ2 Neural Network Engine
- Display
-
1,200 × 800, 8″
- Sound
-
2″ full range drivers, passive bass radiator
- Colors
-
Charcoal
- Connectivity
-
Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth LE, Matter, Thread, Zigbee, Sidewalk
- Price
-
$150
The 2023 Echo Show 8 picks up a new design, faster performance, and improved audio quality for $150 — a $20 price bump from the 2021 release.
-
Source: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen, 2023)
$40
$60
Save $20- What’s Included
-
Alexa Voice Remote Enhanced, power cable and adapter, HDMI extender, 2 AAA batteries
- Dimensions
-
108 mm x 30 mm x 14mm
- Integrations
-
Amazon Alexa
- Ethernet
-
Yes, via external dongle
- Processor
-
2GHz Mediatek MT8696T quad-core, 850MHz GE9215 GPU
The second generation of Amazon’s Fire TV 4K Max features support for Wi-Fi 6E, up to 16GB of internal storage, and a revamped processor for lightning-fast streaming and navigation.