Amazon’s new Echo Hub smart home control panel is now officially available, offering an Alexa-enabled touchscreen interface to control smart home devices.
The 8-inch touch-enabled display with a customizable smart home dashboard offering grouping and management features for smart home devices can be wall-mounted or placed on a counter with a stand. The device also features a built-in smart home hub with support for Zigbee, Sidewalk, Thread, Bluetooth and Matter, removing the need for a separate smart home bridge to connect it with a range of devices.
Echo Hub can be connected via Wi-Fi or via Ethernet with a compatible Power-over-Ethernet adapter, the company says. The panel will be able to control select devices like lights, switches and plugs in the event of an internet outage.
Users can also display devices most used on the home dashboard, and devices connected to an Alexa account are automatically populated upon setup.
Echo Hub allows users to view up to four live camera feeds at once, as well as multiple Ring camera snapshots at once from the camera widget or a shortcut icon. In addition, users can manage their Ring security system and use routines from the Ring app or Alexa app.
2024 Lighting Controls and Fixtures Report
Lightapalooza took place in late February, and the growth of the event has mirrored the rapid ascension lighting fixtures and controls.Download your copy now!
On that note, users can see all of their routines on one screen from the left-side panel and initiate them with a tap or by asking Alexa.
The new Echo Hub can also be connected to preferred speakers for whole-home audio control, and users can control the volume for individual speakers in a multi-room music group directly from the touchscreen’s dashboard. In the future, users will be able to see how many active media streams are playing throughout their home, the company says.
The display uses infrared technology to detect when a user is nearby, transitioning from a customized home screen to the smart home dashboard upon approach. Users can also choose to display video backgrounds or personal photos.
Amazon first introduced the Echo Hub in September 2023 alongside a litany of new Alexa features powered by generative AI and interface additions, including Map View, a digital representation of the home’s floor designed to make discovery and control of smart home devices easier.
The smart home control panel is now available for $179.99.
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!
