Everything We Want to See At Amazon’s September 2021 Event

Amazon’s annual fall event will take place next week, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 28. We expect to see a lot of products announced, but one in particular that we’re excited about is the Ring Always Home Cam, which was first announced last year.

Last year, Amazon announced new Echo hardware in the form of the spherical Echo, as well as the new Echo Show 10 with its rotating display. The company also announced its cloud gaming service called Luna, and the Wi-Fi routers Eero 6 and Eero 6 Pro. Customers can likely expect more announcements in this vein this year, as well as more details on devices that were previously announced, but have yet to release.

Amazon will not publicly stream the fall event, so we will keep you up to date with all relevant information right here.

Ring Always Home Cam

Last year, Amazon announced the Ring Always Home Cam, a drone-like home security camera that patrols your home along preset flight paths. While the device looks interesting and innovative, there has not yet been a working model available for testing. With any luck, Amazon will show more details about the Always Home Cam at its fall event, and give more details about the device’s capabilities and a more concrete release date (besides a general “sometime in 2021” release window). One of the few solid pieces of information we have is that it will be priced at $250.

Verizon Smart Display

Amazon already announced the Verizon Smart Display during its Alexa Live 2021 developers conference this summer, and it takes full advantage of Amazon’s custom voice assistant tool. Rather than saying, “Hey, Alexa,” the display will activate when you say, “Hey, Verizon.” The display was announced, but little else is known about the product so far. There are already a variety of third-party smart displays on the market, but the majority of these target Google Assistant rather than Alexa. The Lenovo Smart Display lineup is one example.

Amazon’s fall event is the perfect time to demonstrate any special capabilities of the Verizon Smart Display, as well as show off ways developers can further create custom smart assistants that integrate seamlessly into the Alexa platform.

Ring and car security

Ring has already made inroads into the car security space with the Ring Car Cam, the Ring Car Connect, and the Ring Car Alarm. These tools allow you to record activity in and around your vehicle, control your smart home through your car, or even contact emergency services with just a few words. Think of it like an Amazon-powered OnStar. Ring’s presence in the car security space is just an extension of Amazon Echo Auto.

It wouldn’t be at all surprising for Ring to announce even more auto-focused security devices this year, especially as cars grow more intelligent with integrated systems like those already seen in Tesla models.

New Echo hardware

It has been several years since Amazon first launched the Amazon Smart Plug. The device works great but doesn’t look particularly great. With the company’s recent focus on aesthetics, it’s possible that a new lineup of smart plugs (and other Echo-compatible hardware) could be around the corner.

The smart plugs could be reconfigured to be less bulky or combine two outlets into one. Amazon might also launch a new Echo speaker. The Echo Show 10, Echo Dot (4th Gen), and Echo (4th Gen) were all announced last year, but the Echo Studio may potentially receive the upgrade treatment. This is the perfect chance to launch an audiocentric speaker that competes with Nest Audio.

Echo Buds

Amazon ventured into the audio market with the Echo Buds, a set of Alexa-equipped earbuds designed to compete with Apple’s AirPods. The Echo Buds are significantly more affordable than their Apple counterpart, but many people don’t see the point in headphones that have Alexa built-in if they don’t utilize the smart assistant in their own home.

This event would be a good time for Amazon to release a set of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds that use the same technology sans Alexa. It would allow them to appeal to the audio market without including smart technology in it. Though the second generation of the Echo Buds released only recently, this is also a good chance for Amazon to announce updates and implement user feedback.

Amazon Fire Stick/Fire TV

It’s been a while since Amazon released any sort of iterative update for the Amazon Fire Stick or the Fire TV. These devices work much like other streaming sticks and allow you to access Amazon Prime Video content directly from your television. Prime Video has grown to offer a huge library and is well worth viewing, but the Fire Stick might not be the best option.

A new version of the Fire Stick or the Fire TV that implements Ethernet connectivity or allows access to other platforms, similar to the way the Roku works, would be a huge improvement to the platform. With Amazon Luna gaining steam, a more gaming-friendly device would help the streaming service grow even more.

Kindle Fire

The Kindle Fire is an affordable tablet that appeals to a lot of people for exactly that reason, but there’s also a lot of room for improvement. The Amazon Fire HD 8 released in 2020, which means there is a chance Amazon might announce a new version next week.

Some of the main complaints about the hardware revolve around its low-quality display and the poor performance of the device. If Amazon releases a newer version that corrects these problems, it would have a budget tablet that could compete with much higher-priced options.

Outdoor Echo hardware

Almost everything smart home-focused is designed for the interior of the home, but there is a gap where outdoor hardware is concerned. Amazon might choose to take advantage of this gap in the market and launch a product with Alexa capabilities for use outdoors, such as a floating speaker for the pool or a weather-resistant Bluetooth speaker. It’s unlikely that something along these lines would be in development with no leaks at all, but the possibility is always there.

Amazon seems focused on putting Alexa in as many devices as possible, with smaller options like the Echo Flex as an example.

More on Amazon Luna

Google Stadia is struggling to gain popularity, but little has been said about Amazon Luna. The cloud gaming service hasn’t caught up to other services in popularity, but it’s still in its early days. The upcoming event is a good time for Amazon to announce upgrades and improvements to the service to make it more easily accessible for gamers, especially if the company works out some kind of integration with the acclaimed Xbox Game Pass service.

There isn’t a lot of information on what to expect at the Amazon event, but previous events give some indication of the kind of announcements to look for. Stay tuned here for more information and updated announcements as the date grows closer.

How to watch Amazon’s fall 2021 event

Amazon’s event this year is invitation-only, with no public element, but don’t worry. Digital Trends will keep you informed of all relevant announcements and details as they become available.

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