Amazon has stepped up its battle for control of the smart home, unveiling a new generation of Echo speakers featuring improved audio, built-in smart home hubs and a camera that allows Alexa to see and identify objects.

The expanded range includes an upgraded Echo Dot and an Echo Studio with Home Camera, alongside the new Echo Show 16, Echo Time smart clock and Alexa Photo Frame.

The new Echo Dot is priced at $199, while the Echo Studio with Home Camera costs $479 in Australia. These products are being heavily promoted in Australia and seen on bus advertising.

The launch comes just weeks after Apple introduced its HomePod mini 2 and HomeView smart home display, setting the stage for a fresh battle between the technology giants.

While the new Echo Dot retains Amazon’s familiar fabric-covered spherical design, it introduces several significant upgrades.

The biggest is a built-in smart home hub supporting Zigbee, Matter and Thread, allowing users to connect compatible smart lights, door locks, thermostats and other connected devices without purchasing a separate hub.

Amazon has also boosted the speaker’s audio performance, claiming it delivers 50 per cent more bass than the previous model.

Under the hood is Amazon’s AZ3 processor, designed to support the company’s more advanced Alexa+ AI assistant.

A fourth microphone has also been added to improve voice recognition, particularly when music is playing or there is background noise.

The speaker incorporates Amazon’s Omnisense technology, which can detect room temperature and whether someone is present.

This allows Alexa to automatically activate connected devices, such as switching on lights when someone enters a room or adjusting the thermostat when temperatures drop.

Amazon has also integrated an eero Wi-Fi extender, capable of adding up to 1,000 square feet, or approximately 93 square metres, of wireless coverage when connected to an existing compatible eero network.

A Kids edition of the Echo Dot is available for US$109.99 (approximately A$169).

However, the more unusual addition to Amazon’s lineup is the Echo Studio with Home Camera.

For the first time, Amazon has integrated a camera into its premium Echo Studio speaker, giving Alexa+ the ability to recognise objects and respond to visual questions.

Users can hold a board game box in front of the speaker and ask Alexa to explain the rules, or show it a cereal packet to help reorder the product.

The camera also supports Live View through the Alexa app, allowing users to remotely see what is happening in the room.

Amazon says video calling through compatible Fire TV devices will be introduced later.

Despite the camera addition, the Echo Studio retains its premium audio capabilities, including a high-excursion woofer, three full-range drivers and Dolby Atmos support.

Automatic room tuning also adjusts audio output based on the speaker’s surroundings.

The decision to put a camera inside a smart speaker could raise privacy concerns, particularly for consumers wary of devices that can see and hear inside their homes.

Amazon has addressed this with a dedicated button that disables the camera and microphones, along with an LED indicator that illuminates when images or video are being streamed to the cloud.

For those uncomfortable with a camera-equipped speaker, Amazon continues to offer the standard Echo Studio for $429.

Some of the new capabilities require Alexa+, Amazon’s generative AI-powered assistant, which is included with Prime membership in supported markets.

The latest Echo devices signal a broader shift in Amazon’s smart home strategy, moving beyond conventional voice-controlled speakers towards devices that can detect movement, monitor environmental conditions and visually understand their surroundings.

With Apple pushing deeper into smart home technology through HomePod and HomeView, Amazon is betting that a more intelligent Alexa, combined with expanded device connectivity, will help it maintain its position in the increasingly competitive connected home market.