It’s that time of year again! The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is here, showcasing the latest and greatest from companies and developers at the forefront of technology.
This year, Amazon made a big return to the in-person conference, demonstrating a range of its newest inventions including the new Ring Car Cam and Astro.
In addition to these exciting product launches, Amazon also announced updates to its rollout of Matter, the new smart-home communication standard.
Overall, CES 2021 was a successful event for Amazon, with a range of demos and product launches that showcased the company’s innovation and leadership in the tech industry.
Matter
Interoperability in the Smart Home
Amazon has long been committed to open APIs and interoperability in the smart home, which is why there are already over 140,000 Alexa-compatible smart home device models and over 300 million in-field devices from different brands that work seamlessly with Alexa.
The Smart Home Communication Standard
As a leading contributor to Matter, a new standard developed by the Connectivity Standards Alliance to connect smart home systems and devices, Amazon is committed to furthering this mission.
Support to In-Field Devices
At CES 2021, the company announced the next phase of its Matter rollout, bringing support for the standard to over 100 million in-field devices across 30 different Echo and eero models. Once completed, this will be the largest footprint of Matter-supported devices yet.
Matter Comes to New Device Types
In addition, Amazon will bring Matter to new device types like thermostats, blinds, and sensors, as well as support for Matter device setup in the Alexa iOS app and Thread border router support on the Echo (4th Gen).
Connectivity Standards
With these updates, plus broad support for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy, Thread, and Zigbee across Amazon and Alexa devices, customers can mix and match smart home devices from a range of brands with the confidence that they will just work.
Ease of Use
This commitment to interoperability and ease of use is a key part of Amazon’s vision for the smart home.
Ring with New Car Cam and Peephole Cam
Ring, the home security company, has announced two new products that aim to extend security from the home to the car and to rental properties. The Ring Car Cam is a dual-facing camera that records both the interior and exterior of a vehicle and has smart sensors to detect certain events.
It is available for pre-order now.
Features
The Ring Peephole Cam is a video doorbell that can be easily installed over an existing door peephole in an apartment or rental property.
It features
- a 1080p HD camera
- night vision
- Two-Way Talk
- Knock and Motion Detection
making it perfect for renters. The Peephole Cam is now available in the U.S. at a new, lower price of $129.99.
Voice AI
In a partnership that represents an industry first, Amazon and Panasonic have announced plans to integrate Panasonic’s SkipGen in-vehicle infotainment system with Alexa Auto.
Apple CarPlay
This technology integration will allow customers to simultaneously use both Alexa and Siri in Apple CarPlay by simply saying either voice service’s wake word.
Alexa Auto Software Development Kit
The Alexa Auto Software Development Kit powers the SkipGen integration, giving customers access to over 130,000 custom Alexa skills.
Features
These skills include the ability to customize
- car control features
- monitor and control smart home devices
- access weather reports
- offline media playback
- navigation
Hey Disney!
For the first time, Amazon has publicly demonstrated Hey Disney!, a new voice assistant that will give customers access to a wide range of Disney-themed content through their Echo devices at home and in select Disney Resort hotel rooms.
Interaction
With Hey Disney!, customers will be able to interact with over 20 beloved Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars characters, including Mickey Mouse, Dory, and Olaf.
Through Hey Disney!, customers will be able to hear jokes, play trivia, and experience immersive soundscapes.
Purchase
Soon, this service will be available for purchase in the U.S. through the Alexa Skills Store or as part of an Amazon Kids+ subscription. With Hey Disney!, Amazon continues to expand the capabilities and content available through its popular Echo devices.
Conclusion
Let us know what you think about the innovations unveiled by Amazon and the products you might have bought!