Amazon
Amazon’s Echo Show 15 versatile smart display now has a more mainstream purpose: streaming TV and movies. Amazon today rolled out a free software update that brings Fire TV capabilities to the Echo Show 15, allowing newly purchased devices to stream content from Disney+, Peacock and other Fire TV apps.
Amazon first announced plans to make the Echo Show 15 Fire TV-Fi in September. At that time, it Said Last month, 70 percent of people who used a 15.6-inch smart display watched videos.
At launch, the Echo Show 15 supported Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hulu; (You can only call them by asking Alexa). But today’s news puts those apps under one roof while adding additional streaming services including HBO Max, Discovery+ (soon to merge with Max?), and Paramount+.
The update lets you use Alexa to play content across streaming services via voice, and Amazon is even pushing a bundle of the Echo Show 15 and its Alexa Voice Remote (3rd generation) to match the new feature.
Sharon Harding
The introduction of Fire TV brings a new purpose to the Echo Show 15. The device can already do more than any of Amazon’s other Echo products, yet, as a smart display, it faces hurdles as an emerging technology as many struggle to find it. That’s the purpose.
As we said in our Echo Show 15 review, one of the displays’ best features is that its large size outshines its competition and enhances experiences like photo viewing. Naturally, watching TV and movies is another place where those extra inches can help.
While I struggled to get to grips with everything I could do with the Echo Show 15’s interface—even though the product was constantly prompting me to try out new features—the value of watching TV here needs no explanation. The Echo Show 15 Fire TV isn’t going to replace the big screen TV in the living room, but it will now serve as a small smart TV that’s easier to move and mount than average.
The Echo Show 15’s new feature comes as Amazon’s Alexa struggles to find financial success, reportedly losing $10 billion this year. On the other hand, Amazon has reportedly sold more than 150 million Fire TV devices as of January, and can use the service to make money through ads and other subscription services.
The Echo Show 15 that doubles as a Fire TV is another example of companies still exploring how to sell smart displays to consumers. Earlier this year, Meta gave its connected video conferencing display additional and more common functionality when it updated the Portal to serve as a wireless monitor.
