Amazon's new Echo Time and Echo Show 16 are here to put even more pressure on Apple's HomeView
Just in case Amazon's Echo roster didn't already feel expansive and eclectic enough, the company is now selling a first-of-a-kind smart clock and its most advanced smart display yet.
There's no denying that the long overdue announcement of Apple's first-ever smart display has recently brought a new wave of attention and a previously unprecedented level of consumer excitement to a product category dominated by Amazon. At the same time, however, it's hard to imagine that a single (underwhelming) HomeView model will be able to fend off an entire army of Alexa-powered Echo devices with touchscreens of all types and sizes.
Said army is gaining two versatile new soldiers this holiday shopping season, and although the Echo Time and Echo Show 16 are not technically direct HomeView rivals in terms of size or pricing, their introductions are likely to help Amazon offer even more diversity of choice for those who may not want to live with Apple's obvious compromises.
The Echo Show 16 is a BIG deal in many more ways than one
This bad boy's screen real estate is clearly one of its key selling points, putting to shame both the 7-inch Apple HomeView and something like the 10-inch Nest Hub Max from 2019, which Google has inexplicably left without a sequel all this time.
But because Amazon already unveiled an even larger Echo Show 21 a couple of years back, the far more impressive characteristic here is the ultra-powerful audio architecture somehow squeezed into a roughly 40 percent thinner body than that of the 2024-released Echo Show 15.
Yes, the Echo Show 16 can natively stream all your favorite Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Prime Video shows. | Image by Amazon
The all-new Echo Show 16 packs no less than eight custom micro woofers and two tweeters that promise to deliver pretty much unrivaled sound, as well as a "vibrant" Full HD panel and Amazon's "most advanced" camera yet. The latter not only comes with auto-framing capabilities, but night vision support and the "widest field of view" on an Echo Show to date too.
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Like the Echo Show 21, the 16-inch version also features the full Fire TV experience right out the box, thus acting like the home entertainment hub Apple's HomeView is unable to in addition to a good old fashioned smart home hub. Advanced Room Adaptation is another neat trick up the Echo Show 16's sleeve, with its music playback "continuously optimized" for its surroundings whether you choose to use it mounted on a wall or alongside one of two optional stand accessories.
The Echo Time is small, stylish, and surprisingly smart
Marketed as a "smart alarm clock" with full built-in Alexa+ support rather than a smart display, the first-of-a-kind Amazon Echo Time is obviously considerably smaller, and in many ways, more rudimentary than the Apple HomeView.
The Echo Time is probably best used in your bedroom. | Image by Amazon
Compared to the 2024-released Echo Spot, however, this thing is undeniably prettier in Graphite, Glacier White, and especially Coral Pink colors, rocking a similar spherical design to the Echo Dot and Echo Dot Max speakers while adding a more than respectable 3.2-inch circular touchscreen with 480 x 480 pixel resolution.
The full range 1.73-inch speaker built into the Echo Time is also not bad, promising "crisp vocals and brilliant sound" (especially for smaller spaces in your house like guest bedrooms), and yes, this compact and decidedly elegant device can control and help you manage all your smart home accessories with hub capabilities.
Are you buying a smart display this holiday season?
0 Votes
The Echo Time can contribute to better sleep routines in a couple of different ways as well, featuring all-new sleep sensing technology allowing you to set "smart" alarms that will go off when your fancy new clock detects a lighter sleep stage. That's definitely an interesting way to wake up feeling more rested in the morning... if it works as advertised.
Let's talk prices... and decisions
Both the Echo Time and Echo Show 16 are up for grabs right now, and both are a little costlier than I expected. But that's today's tech industry in a nutshell for you, and at $199.99, at least Amazon's "first smart alarm clock with Alexa+" is a cool $100 cheaper than the HomeView.
The Echo Show 16 looks especially cool on a stand. | Image by Amazon
The Echo Show 16, of course, is a lot more expensive, at a starting price of $499.99, although if you hurry, you can actually knock that down by $100 with promo code "CLAIM100." The gargantuan smart display is only scheduled to begin shipping on December 16, mind you, and if you want to get a fixed stand or adjustable stand, you need to spend an extra $69.99 or $124.99 respectively.
There's also a special edition with an anti-glare Nanomatte screen you might want to consider at a list price of $569.99 instead of the aforementioned $499.99 tag, and if you ask me whether or not you should buy the Echo Show 16 this holiday season, my answer is currently a resounding yes. This is probably the greatest smart display in the world on every level and in every key department, and the value proposition is simply irresistible and unbeatable... especially if you take advantage of that introductory $100 discount.
Be sure to check out these other articles about Amazon products as well:
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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