Amazon Set to Unveil New Echo and Kindle This Month

Amazon has locked in September 30 for its annual hardware showcase, with invites hinting at major updates across its Echo, Kindle and Fire TV ranges.

This year’s event comes just one day before Google is expected to unveil its next-gen Nest and Gemini-powered smart home devices, setting up a direct battle for attention.

Amazon’s invitation features a collage of its best-known gadgets, including an Echo speaker glowing with the trademark Alexa light, a Kindle with the words “stroke of a pen”, and what appears to be either a Fire TV or new tablet.

The New York event will be led by Panos Panay, the former Microsoft executive now heading Amazon’s Devices & Services division. It will be his first full-scale hardware launch since joining the company in late 2023.

A new Kindle Scribe or colour e-reader is tipped, alongside refreshed Echo smart speakers that could better integrate with Alexa+, Amazon’s AI-powered assistant launched earlier this year.

The event may also see the return of premium audio hardware, with the Echo Studio long overdue for a replacement.

Fire TV devices are also in line for a revamp, though the imagery leaves room for speculation. Amazon has not significantly updated its streaming sticks or TVs for several years, while rivals Google and Apple continue to push into the living-room market.

The timing is notable as Amazon skipped its traditional large-scale hardware launch in 2024, instead releasing products in smaller drops.

While Amazon rarely livestreams its launches, international media will be on the ground in New York covering the announcements.

The event kicks off at 10am ET on September 30 (midnight AEST, October 1).