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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Amazon hosted a Devices & Services event on September 30.
- The event featured new Ring cameras, Echo speakers and displays, Fire TV devices, and a new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.
- ZDNET was on-site at the event to provide the most up-to-date coverage.
Amazon has just wrapped up its next Devices and Services event, an invitation-only event held on September 30 in New York City. The company uses these events to introduce new products, including Echo speakers and displays, Kindle e-readers, and Fire TVs.
Also: The best Alexa devices: Expert tested
The e-commerce company announced a new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, as well as new Ring Doorbells and cameras (including a full 4K lineup), Echo displays and speakers, Blink devices, and Fire TV products at the event — all available for preorder beginning today. We also saw new software features rolled out, including Alexa+ integrations in Fire TVs and even a Search Party feature in the Ring app to find lost pets.
How to watch the 2025 Amazon Devices & Services event
Amazon held its 2025 Devices and Services event as an invitation-only press conference, so it wasn’t livestreamed. However, ZDNET was on-site at the event and reported live to bring you full coverage of all the announcements Amazon made in real time. We also went hands-on with the new products to share our first impressions.
What products did Amazon launch?
New Kindle Scribe lineup (including Colorsoft): Amazon has just announced a new Kindle Scribe lineup, which includes a Colorsoft model — the first Scribe model with a color e-paper display. Panay explained that the new Scribe has perfected the feel of writing on paper, rather than a display. It’s also 40% faster than older models and has a unique color processing technology.
“This brings the real-world colors and doesn’t blast your eyes. Same front light design but with a color filter. It feels right — it just feels right. Same friction, same speed,” Panay said of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft. “You want to make sure the ink coming out is the color you chose.”
Also: Why I use this $100 Android tablet more than my iPad Pro – and don’t regret it
The Kindle Scribe costs $430, a Kindle Scribe with FrontLight is priced at $500, and the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft costs $630. Amazon launched the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition in October 2024, followed by a 16GB Kindle Colorsoft and a Kids version.
Echo Studio, Echo Dot Max, Echo Show 11, and Echo Show 8: Amazon introduced its new Echo devices as built for Alexa+. The new devices are powered by the AZ3 and AZ3 Pro processors, which are faster and more powerful, capable of processing AI requests for Alexa+. Their built-in AI features enable them to process contextual awareness from real-world information gathered by sensors throughout your home. For example, it can learn patterns in your home and alert you when something happens out of the ordinary, such as if your front door is left unlocked after midnight.
The new Echo Studio is priced at $220, the Echo Dot Max is $100, the Echo Show 11 is $220, and the Echo Show 8 is $180.
Also: 8 smart home gadgets I invested in this year – and how they’re already paying off
While Amazon launched new Echo Show 15 and 21 smart displays last year, the company hadn’t released a new Echo Dot, its most popular smart speaker, since 2022. As for more recent smart speakers, Amazon launched the Echo Spot in July 2024, following the Echo Pop’s launch in May 2023.
Ring cameras: Ring founder Jamie Siminoff announced a new Retinal Vision technology for the Ring Video Doorbell. The long-awaited upgrade will improve the image quality and upgrade to 2K resolution. “Retinal Vision is a multi-step process that starts with sensors that use BSI pixels for superior low-light performance,” Siminoff said.
The new 2K cameras include a Wired Doorbell Plus 2K for $180 and an Indoor Cam Plus 2K for $60.
Additionally, Ring is finally bringing 4K to its security cameras, announcing the Outdoor Cam Pro 4K for $200, the Spotlight Cam Pro 4K for $250, the Wired Doorbell Pro 4K for $250, and the Floodlight Cam Pro 4K for $280. All products are available for pre-order today.
Also: My favorite backyard spotlight camera just hit its lowest price ever on Amazon
The Elite doorbell is also getting an upgrade with the launch of the new Wired Doorbell Elite 4K. Amazon also announced new POE cameras: the Outdoor Cam POE 4K and Spotlight Cam Pro POE 4K.
As far as Ring software updates, here’s what we heard:
- Retinal Tuning: Amazon also introduced Retinal Tuning, which enables consumers to customize their picture quality to match the scene they are viewing.
- Familiar Faces: Users can add family members and friends to the Ring app, as the new Ring cameras will also utilize facial recognition to identify who’s at the door or who has been spotted by a camera.
- Alexa+ Greetings: Will let Alexa act as an “intelligent doorbell attendant,” capable of managing deliveries and sending away solicitors. Familiar Faces and Alexa+ Greetings will be rolled out to new Ring devices in December.
- Search Party: Siminoff wrapped up the Ring updates with a Search Party feature, which helps pet owners be reunited with their lost pets. The feature initiates a search party on nearby Ring cameras whenever a pet owner reports a lost pet through the Ring app. The app will then notify nearby neighbors if the pet has been spotted on any of their cameras, allowing them to share the information with the pet owner.
Blink security cameras: The new Blink products include the Blink Mini 2K+ for $50, the Blink Outdoor 2K+ for $90, and the Blink Arc for $100, which features two Outdoor cameras that create a wide panoramic view of its coverage area.
Fire TVs and Fire TV Stick 4K Select: Amazon refreshed the Fire TV 4 Series, starting at $330, the Fire TV 2 Series, starting at $160, and the Fire TV Omni QLED Series. A new Fire TV Stick 4K Select will also be available for $40.
The new Fire TVs feature the new Amazon operating system called Vega OS, which moves the company away from relying on Android-based OS in favor of this Linux-based proprietary alternative. They also feature faster processing times and images that can automatically adjust to the room’s lighting. The TVs will also feature Dialog Boost to adjust the volumes in channels when the voices are too quiet, but the background noise is too loud.
Also: Amazon’s Vega OS is being updated to Fire TVs this year – here’s why that’s a big deal
Aside from maintaining hands-free Alexa, Amazon is also introducing presence sensors to its new Omni Series TVs, featuring a feature the company is calling Omnisense. This allows you to set up your TV so that it turns on when you enter the room, although it remains unclear whether this presence sensor can be used for routines and automations with other smart home products.
Live updates (refresh for changes)
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 8:50 p.m. ET
Amazon has been making a big deal about how its latest smart devices and Alexa assistant can sense and get a pulse of the environment to give you the most appropriate responses. Features like Omnisense on the new Echo speakers, for example, can leverage their audio, ultrasound, Wi-Fi radar, accelerometer, and Wi-Fi CSI to offer contextual assistance.
I find the “remind me when this person has walked into a room” idea more on the creepy side, but the occasional ping because my garage door is still unlocked feels like smart home at its…smartest. What do you think?
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 8:42 p.m. ET
Much of today’s keynote revolved around voice commands, but the best thing unveiled had more to do with the opposite. Let me introduce you to Amazon’s new Smart Dimmer Switch and Remote, a $20 clicker with programmable buttons for routines, triggers, and more. Fittingly, it’s branded as an Amazon Basics product, but its capabilities are, from the demos I saw, limitless.
By default, the remote can turn on or off your lights, as well as dim them. But, through the Alexa app, you can also remap each of the four buttons to execute a chain of commands, such as opening your garage door, turning on the entrance light, and then playing some relaxing music through an Echo speaker.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 2:32 p.m. ET
The Amazon event has ended, and the reality of a $630 Kindle is starting to set in. Sure, the technological advancements we’re seeing with the new Scribe Colorsoft are admirable, but I wonder if consumers are prepared to shell out laptop/phone money for a note-taking tablet.
But also, should we expect the upgraded processors and memory — two upgrades that will likely trickly down to other Kindle models — to be the reason for Amazon to raise the prices across the lineup in the future?
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 2:13 p.m. ET
I’m happy to report that the Kindle Colorsoft is, in fact, very thin. Here’s what it looks like beside the iPhone Air (5.6mm).
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 11:10 a.m. ET
That’s a wrap for the keynote portion of today’s Amazon event. Panos Panay is back on stage to announce that all the products today will be available to preorder now. He reiterates that the purpose of Amazon’s products is to be simple, empowering, and blend into people’s lives.
Now, for some hands-on with the products!
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 11:08 a.m. ET
We’re wrapping the keynote portion of today’s event with some high points for Alexa, including a new Home Theater feature that synchronizes the audio output of your Echo speakers to create an immersive listening experience. Apple, Google, and even Samsung have already tapped into technology similar to this with their hardware, and it’s about time Amazon did the same.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 11:00 a.m. ET
Amazon announced a host of Alexa+ features back in Spring, and the Echo series has continued to be its biggest driver. The popular smart home speakers now have new versions, including the Dot, Dot Max, Show 8, and Show 11. They’re all powered by new AZ23 and AZ23 Pro chipsets that help them process AI quicker and on-device.
The processors also enable “Omnisense,” which gives Alexa a better sense of the speakers’ environment.
Echo Max: $99
- Features a new 3D-knit fabric that has no seams
- “Accoustically transparent” for a vibrant sound
- Enhanced drivers for triple the sound of the previous version
Echo Studio: $219
- Designed for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, with even larger speakers
Echo Show 8 (2025): $179
- Comes with a 13-megapixel camera for video calling and photos
- A new partnership with Oura allows users to check in on their health metrics from the screen while asking Alexa any health-related questions
Echo Show 11 (2025): $219
- Features a larger 11-inch display
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:40 a.m. ET
It’s Kindle time, with Panos Panay back on stage. Here’s what’s new:
Kindle Scribe (2025): $429 to $499
- Features an 11-inch display
- It’s “paper-like,” measuring at 5.4mm thin
- Texture-molded glass that mimics the sensation of writing and reading on paper
- New customized chip with more memory for a snappier experience (“40% faster on the things that matter”)
- Comes with a new kickstand case that lifts the top half of the tablet (when held in portrait orientation)
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft: $629
- Features a colored display and frame with the same friction and speed as the standard model
Two new Kindle features
- Story So Far: Kindle will give you recaps of what you’ve read so far.
- Ask This Book: You can ask questions about characters, plotlines, and even story arcs about a book you’re reading.
Software tweaks
- The homescreen has a new Quick Notes tab that shows your recent documents
- A Workspace section has tabs that you can file documents into for better organization
- You can also store and access Kindle, Google Drive, OneDrive, OneNote, and Alexa+ files now
- AI-powered notebook search lets you ask questions within the search bar, and Alexa will answer them by sourcing your existing documents and notebooks (references included)
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:34 a.m. ET
Amazon is launching the latest generation of the Fire TV Mini LED series, which features some new Alexa-powered capabilities, like remote-free voice assistance and auto-wake when you approach the screen. You can also ask Alexa to jump to a specific scene in a movie by simply describing it.
The company is also launching new Fire TV 2-and 4-series models, which start at $159 and $329, respectively.
And for cord-cutters, there’s the Fire TV Stick 4K Select that costs $39.
Lastly, VegaOS has been confirmed to replace the existing Fire TV software platform, which, theoretically, makes it easier for developers to create and optimize web-based apps.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:28 a.m. ET
Blink cameras are also getting an upgrade. Amazon has introduced Blink Mini 2K+ ($49) and Blink Outdoor 2K+ ($99), both of which are powered by the company’s latest chipsets for enhanced noise-cancelling, 2K recording, and a more efficient battery life.
The Mini, in particular, is the company’s smallest camera yet, and it functions with a plug-and-play mechanic. Blink has also introduced a new Arc camera ($100), which features two cameras that allow it to capture 180-degree footage. The Blink Arc stitches recordings from the two sensors to create a wide landscape shot.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:22 a.m. ET
This one’s cool. When/if you ever lose your pet, you can send a local ping from the Ring app to notify neighbors and community members who also have Ring cameras to find them. Other Ring users can send footage of unknown pets, which the owner can mark as a match or not.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:19 a.m. ET
Alexa+ Greetings, which works in tandem with Familiar Faces, uses the AI voice assistant to respond to people who appear on your Ring camera(s). The feature will launch in December. It’s very much like Gemini and what Google has been doing with the Pixel Call Assist features, but now you can have an AI handle conversations at your doorfront.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:15 a.m. ET
Jamie Siminoff, the founder of Ring, is on stage to introduce the new lineup of Ring products.
First is Retinal Vision, a new sensor technology that uses improved image processing to capture sharper, clearer-looking images. This plays with Retinal Tuning, an AI upscaling function that’s coming to the latest models.
We’re looking at nine new Ring products, so far…
2K recording:
- Wired Doorbell Plus 2K
- Indoor Cam Plus 2K
4K recording:
- Outdoor Cam Pro 4K
- Spotlight Cam Pro 4K
- Wired Doorbell Pro 4K
- Floodlight Cam Pro 4K
For professionals and businesses
- Outdoor Cam Pro POE 4K
- Spotlight Cam Pro POE 4K
- Wired Doorbell Elite 4K
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:10 a.m. ET
Ring is the first hardware announcement today. Over the past few months, Amazon has introduced several software features to the security lineup, including AI-generated notification descriptions, and now, better hardware is available to accommodate those capabilities.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 10:07 a.m. ET
Panos Panay, Amazon’s Chief Product Officer, sets the tone, speaking to the company’s continued efforts in making technology that seamlessly blends into our environments.
Panay starts by referencing a recent experience at the dinner table. He emphasizes the need for everyone to be present and to set the phones aside. But his daughter almost always has a question — in some cases, a debate.
To answer it, someone must pull out their phone, which disrupts the flow of the environment. “Right there, you lost the moment,” Panay says. Now, the integration of Alexa+ shifts those dynamics. Everybody stays present.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 9:50 a.m. ET
We’re officially seated and ready for the first Amazon Devices and Services event in a while! Get ready for news on the latest hardware in just minutes. Also, the venue is very bright.
By Kerry Wan, Managing Editor / Sept. 30 at 9:30 a.m. ET
Amazon was one of the first big brands to release smart glasses, with the Echo Frames bringing Alexa-powered voice assistance to the masses. Since then, they’ve been overshadowed by Meta — and Google and Samsung are expected to release competitors soon.
I don’t expect Amazon to launch anything to that degree today, as it’s likely focusing more on smart home gadgets, Alexa+, and Fire TV. But one can hope.
By Maria Diaz, Writer / Sept. 30 at 8:41 a.m. ET
The Amazon Devices and Services event won’t be publicly livestreamed, but ZDNET editors will be on site at the venue so that you can follow the news through this live blog. We’ll be watching the keynote and product announcements, which begin at 10:00 a.m. ET, to bring you the latest information as it becomes available. Simply refresh this page to stay up-to-date.
By Maria Diaz, Writer / Sept. 29 at 11:30 a.m. ET
Ahead of the Amazon Devices and Services event on Tuesday, tech journalist Janko Roettgers reports that a new operating system for Fire TVs is launching this year. Codenamed Vega OS, the new system would replace FireOS on new television hardware and, potentially, new tablets and Echo devices down the line.
Vega OS is based on Linux instead of Android, which could give Amazon the opportunity to refresh its software across devices. However, this presents the challenge of bringing developers on board to create apps in a completely different system.
By Maria Diaz, Writer / Sept. 29 at 10:21 a.m. ET
The last Devices and Services event happened in 2023, when Amazon announced new Ring, Blink, Echo, and Fire TV products and the addition of generative AI to Alexa. However, the company skipped the 2024 event after failing to deliver the new Alexa experience and opted to quietly launch new products at the end of last year.
Also: 7 useful iOS 26 AI features launching alongside iPhone 17 (and these older models)
SVP Panos Panay hosted an Alexa event in February 2025 to reinvigorate the launch of Alexa+, a generative AI-powered virtual assistant. Since then, Alexa+ has launched on an early access program, where only a limited number of users have access to it.
Source: www.zdnet.com
