Amazon Introduces New Alexa-On-Device Echo Models and Updated Echo Studio Spatial Audio

After two years without any relevant announcements on the smart speaker arena, Amazon announced updated versions of its popular Echo devices. All-new Echo Dot and Echo Dot with Clock deliver up to two-times the bass of the previous generation, add a temperature sensor, double as eero mesh wifi extenders. More significant, the Echo Studio flagship features a new spatial audio processing technology and upgraded drivers to do what it promised when it launched four years ago.

Qualcomm Technologies unveiled the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms, a successor to the company’s pioneering mesh networking solutions which are currently present in all modern Wi-Fi 6 Mesh routers. The new Qualcomm modular chip architecture is intended to power high-performance, cost-effective Wi-Fi 6E mesh deployments, designed to deliver wireless Gigabit speeds throughout the connected home, benefiting from the latest 6GHz technology introduced earlier in 2020.

Amazon and eero announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Amazon will acquire eero, a company that offers products and services for high-performing, simple home mesh WiFi systems. Eero's products have been available since 2017 and basically blanket every room of a home with high-performing WiFi, earning a 4.6-star product rating on Amazon.com. Apparently, Amazon was excited with the company's next generation solutions, which the company says will enable better connected home devices.