The latest version of its compact smart speaker now doubles as an eero Wi-Fi extender and smart home hub, bringing several useful upgrades to one of the company’s most familiar devices.
The biggest change is its built-in smart home hub, which supports Zigbee, Matter and Thread, allowing users to connect and control thousands of compatible smart home devices without needing a separate hub. Amazon has also added eero Wi-Fi extender functionality, which can extend coverage by up to 1,000 feet when connected to an existing eero network. That could be particularly useful for homes struggling with Wi-Fi dead zones, although you’ll still need a compatible eero setup to take advantage of it.
The Echo Dot is also the first in the lineup to feature Amazon’s new AZ3 processor, designed to handle AI voice processing directly on the device. According to Amazon, this should make conversations with Alexa+ feel more natural by reducing the need to send every voice command to the cloud. A fourth microphone has also been added to improve voice recognition across the room, while enhanced Voice ID support helps Alexa distinguish between household members and deliver more personalised responses.
Audio quality has received some attention too. Amazon has fitted a new full-range driver that it claims delivers clearer vocals and 50% more bass than the previous generation. The speaker also retains Omnisense, which can detect room temperature and human presence, allowing compatible smart home devices to respond automatically, such as switching on lights when someone enters a room.
Alongside the standard model, Amazon has introduced a Kids Echo Dot with Penguin and Octopus designs. It offers the same core features but includes a year of Amazon Kids+, giving children access to age-appropriate Audible audiobooks, ad-free music, podcasts and other content, including Stories from Alexa and Sleep Studio.
The new Echo Dot is available in Graphite, Glacier White, Agave Green and Coral Pink, priced at $100, while the Kids Echo Dot starts at $110.
