While the Prime Big Deal Days sale is getting ready to kick off and has already discounted a bunch of older Amazon hardware, the tech giant has also rolled out some pretty major updates to its hardware lineups.
The Australian list of updated products includes 4K Ring cameras, Blink video doorbells, updated 4K Fire TV sticks and a comprehensive update of Echo speakers. There's a lot to get through, so let's break it down, brand by brand, shall we?
Ring goes 4K
It was a bit of a surprise back in January when Ring decided to update some of its existing cameras to 2K resolution via a software update. Now, the brand has dedicated 4K models as well.
Updated versions of the Wired Video Doorbell Pro (3rd gen), Spotlight Camera Pro (2nd gen), Floodlight Camera Pro (2nd gen) and Outdoor Camera Pro all come with what Ring is calling "Retinal 4K".
Beyond just a higher resolution, these new devices use AI tuning to deliver sharper images, including features like 10x zoom and enhanced low-light performance.
Amazon is also launching "Retinal 2K", which is available on the Indoor Camera Plus and the Wired Video Doorbell Plus (2nd gen), which helps improve the quality of the image through AI, while offering features like 4x enhanced zoom.
Amazon is also promising AI video descriptions as part of its notifications for premium subscribers, which uses generative AI to offer more descriptive notifications of alerts. There's no date on the exact arrival of this feature for Aussies, but a Ring Premium plan costs $29.95 per month.
Here's a full run down of the new Ring products, which are all available from today:
- Wired Video Doorbell Plus (2nd Gen) is priced at $299 (plug-in and wired)
- Wired Video Doorbell Pro (3rd Gen) is priced at $399 (plug-in and wired) and $499 (PoE)
- Indoor Camera Plus is priced at $99
- Outdoor Camera Pro is priced at $329 (plug-in) and AU$479 (PoE).
- Spotlight Camera Pro (2nd Gen) is priced at $399 (plug-in and wired) and $549 (PoE)
- Floodlight Camera Pro (2nd Gen) is priced at $449
Blink finally launches its doorbell down under
When Blink launched in Australia last year with the Blink Outdoor Camera 4 and the Blink Mini 2, I was excited by the prospect of low-cost home security, though disappointed by the limited range.
It's taken a year, but Blink finally launched its video doorbell in Australia. Powered by three AA batteries, the doorbell is low cost and can last up to two years with the Blink Sync Module Core.
There's also a new floodlight mount for the Outdoor 4 camera, which offers motion-triggered LED lighting and up to two years of battery life.
But there are also new products. The Blink Mini 2K+ is an updated version of the Mini 2, which, as you might guess, offers 2K resolution.
Perhaps most interesting is the launch of the Blink Arc, a mounting accessory that lets you plug in two Mini 2K+ cameras and get a single 180º panoramic stitched view. This gives you a much wider view and more extensive coverage.
The catch is that you need to have be a Blink Plus subscriber to see the stitched video.
Pricing looks like this:
- Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) is priced at $89
- Blink Mini 2K+ is priced at $59
- Blink Outdoor Floodlight Mount is priced at $69
- Blink Arc is priced at $35 (Mount Accessory only) and $109 (One Mount Accessory + Two Mini 2K+ Cameras bundle)
Echo (echo, echo)
Amazon launched four new speakers as part of its epic announcement.
The Echo Dot Max has been redesigned to offer better bass and fuller sound compared to previous Echo Dot offerings, with two speakers inside the compact body.
The Echo Studio is 40% smaller than the original Studio, and promises deep bass thanks to its powerful woofer and three full-range drivers. It supports spatial audio and can be used to create a home theatre system with a compatible Fire TV stick.
The Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 smart displays have been updated to improve the audio, giving spatial audio from the new front facing stereo speakers and custom woofer. The HD displays combine with a 13MP camera for video calls as well.
But the big improvements here, including custom silicon chips and updated sensors, is that these speakers are preparing the way for Amazon's updated AI-powered Alexa.
It hasn't been dated for Australia yet, but Amazon is talking a lot about "Omnisense", the AI sensor platform that uses the various sensors on the Echo devices to enable more personalised, pro-active Alexa experiences.
Pricing for the new products looks like this:
- Echo Dot Max is priced at $199
- Echo Studio (2025 Release) is priced at $429
- Echo Show 8 (2025 Release) is priced at $349
- Echo Show 11 is priced at $429
It's a Fire (TV Stick 4K Select)
Finally for Australia, there's an updated Fire TV Stick 4K Select.
It offers a new operating system designed to make watching streaming TV faster and easier than ever before. It comes with a dedicated Alexa remote that lets you use voice control to start streaming, as well as controlling your smart home devices and security camera feeds.
It will also soon support Xbox gaming.
The new Fire TV stick is available for pre-order from today for $89.
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