Amazon’s new Echo lineup marks the company’s strongest challenge yet to Apple’s HomePod and Google’s Nest Audio in the smart speaker market.

Under the leadership of Panos Panay, Amazon is steering its Echo lineup toward refined design and richer sound, moving away from the more functional look and feel of the past.

The Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 are built on Amazon’s custom silicon and Omnisense sensor fusion platform.

Crucially, the speakers are the first to ship with Alexa+, Amazon’s premium AI assistant.

The headliner is the Echo Dot Max (pictured below), priced at A$199, which doubles in size compared to the standard Dot but adds a woofer, tweeter and improved microphones.

Amazon claims it delivers three times the bass of the smaller version, while still compact at just 4 inches tall. The Echo Studio, meanwhile, caters to audiophiles at A$429, featuring Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos support. Despite being 40% smaller than its predecessor, it includes three full-range drivers and an enlarged woofer.

Both devices sport a unified 3D-knitted fabric design and a dynamic lighting system that animates interactions – glowing when listening, processing or responding.

Amazon’s engineers also developed new custom silicon (AZ3 and AZ3 Pro chips) that combine AI processing with sensor management, allowing features like user recognition and environmental adaptation.

Bundled with Prime or available for A$20 per month, Alexa+ integrates more personalised responses and deepens connections with Fire TV and smart home devices.

On the visual side, the all-new Echo Show 8 A$349 and Echo Show 11 A$429 feature redesigned high-definition displays with in-cell touch technology and adaptive visuals.

Each includes a 13MP camera for clearer video calls, and new audio architectures with stereo speakers and custom woofers. There’s also an optional A$69.95 adjustable stand.

All four devices use Amazon’s AZ3 and AZ3 Pro chips, featuring an AI accelerator for edge processing. These power more natural wake-word detection, better microphone performance and support for advanced vision and language models.

Together with Omnisense sensors, ranging from ultrasound and Wi-Fi radar to cameras and accelerometers, the devices can adapt to users’ presence, environment and routines.

Amazon’s new Alexa Home Theater lets you use multiple Echo speakers as a surround sound setup with the Fire TV Stick 4K or 4K Max.

The devices are available now for pre-order in Australia and New Zealand.