Amazon is releasing its second generation of Echo Frames smart glasses to the general public, after offering the Alexa-powered eyeglasses by invitation only last year.
The new iteration of Echo Frames will ship Dec. 10 and cost $249.99, Amazon said in a statement on Thursday (Nov. 19). The first generation frames were launched in 2019 as part of its “Day 1 Editions” products.
“In creating Echo Frames, we had a vision at Amazon to invent a product that would empower customers to stay connected with the world and provide access to communication, information, and entertainment no matter where they are,” said Amazon Echo Frames Director Jean Wang.
“We wanted to build a technology that could disappear into the background and help our customers engage with people, content, and services, without distracting them from the moment,” she added.
Echo Frames are prescription-ready and look and feel like everyday eyewear but have “custom-designed open-ear audio technology” embedded near the temples. Wearers can ask Alexa to make a call, play music, control smart home devices and more.
“It’s the best of both worlds — personal audio with the magic of Alexa when you want it, while still being able to tune in to the world around you,” Wang said.
Amazon rolls out new merchandise as part of Day 1 Editions in order to get customer feedback. Echo Frames are moving from Day 1 Editions with enhanced features like better audio quality, longer battery life, and new colors. The Amazon smart ring Echo Loop was also launched as part of Day 1 Editions but is being discontinued.
The new generation of Echo Frames lets users prioritize notifications via an upgraded VIP Filter. Other new features include message notifications, calendar alerts and group messages. The automatic volume feature adjusts to the surrounding noise level.
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