Amazon's new Echo Dot is a Zigbee, Matter and Thread hub: what the announcement says

Amazon's Echo announcement (28 October) covers a new Echo Dot and a new Echo Studio with a Home Camera. Everything below is Amazon's own description; we have not tested either product, and the page lists US dollar prices only, with no sterling prices or UK availability.

The new Echo Dot

• A built-in smart home hub supporting Zigbee, Matter and Thread, so compatible devices can be controlled without a separate hub.
• A built-in eero Wi-Fi extender, said to cover up to 1,000 sq ft.
• Amazon's AZ3 chip, a fourth microphone, Voice ID and Omnisense sensing (room temperature and presence).
• $99.99 in the US, available the day of the announcement, with a Kids version from $109.99 and an optional $39.99 stand.

Echo Studio with Home Camera

• A camera that gives Alexa+ visual intelligence, with Live View in the Alexa app, plus Dolby Atmos audio and room adaptation.
• $249.99 in the US; the standard Echo Studio stays at $219.99.
• Video calls with a compatible Fire TV are promised 'soon'.

Amazon says a dedicated button turns off the microphones and any cameras, and an LED lights when the camera is streaming to the cloud. Some features need Alexa+, which Amazon says is included with Prime.

What it means for a smart home

An Echo that doubles as a Thread border router and Zigbee coordinator is a tempting all-in-one for beginners, but it ties your devices to Amazon's ecosystem and cloud. If you run Home Assistant, the local route is a dedicated coordinator, as we explain in our Zigbee guide. Whether a given Echo can be used by Home Assistant as a hub is not covered in the announcement, so we make no claim either way. For a speaker with a camera, think about where you place it and whether you want a cloud-connected lens in the living room. Amazon offers the camera-free Echo Studio for that reason.

We will add UK prices once Amazon publishes them.