The upgrade camera promises a better video-calling experience.
If you’re hooked on Alexa and want a more capable smart display, Amazon just announced a refresh to the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 5, with better cameras than their predecessors. There’s also an update to the Echo Show 5 Kids Edition, which includes access to Amazon’s kid-friendly content. The Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 5 have 8-inch and 5.5-inch screens, respectively, with the larger device getting the bulk of the updates. The Echo Show 8 now sports a 13-megapixel camera with a 110-degree wide-angle lens for video calls. It now has a feature similar to Facebook’s Portal, which pans and zooms to follow your movements within the field of view, powered in part by the nondescript “octa-core” processor that Amazon says is in the device. Unlike the Echo Show 10, the Echo Show 8 doesn’t physically swivel to follow you around. The Echo Show 8 is capable of AR effects within Amazon’s video chat app, including the ability to “react” on screen with animated images and set custom virtual backgrounds.
