What to expect from Amazon's September Alexa and Echo event

Amazon is holding an event this Wednesday 25 September in Seattle. But what new wares can we expect from the shopping and devices giant? 

Pocket-lint will be in attendance at the event which was first revealed on 12 September. Amazon has said it is "devices and services" event meaning that we won't only be getting new hardware - more on that shortly. 

At last year's equivalent event, Amazon launched latest Echo Plus and Echo Dot and added the Echo Sub and Echo Input. There were also a bunch of extra, non-core devices such as the Echo Clock and Alexa microwave which have appeared for sale since. 

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A new powerful Echo Even More Plus

There have been numerous rumours that Amazon is going to offer a more powerful all-in-one sound option and now Amazon has launched Amazon Music HD, too. Last year the Echo Sub emerged, but we're betting the appeal of that device was a bit limited because of the requirement to use it with two other identical 2018 Echo devices.

And, while the Echo Plus offers a good sound for a kitchen, for example, it isn't a room-filler. So we're expecting Amazon to come up with an Apple HomePod or maybe a Sonos One competitor that'll undercut rivals. 

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Alexa True Wireless earphones

Again the subject of a bunch of rumours and leaks, we now believe that Amazon will debut its first health monitoring product in the shape of iOS and Android-compatible earbuds.

They'll be orientated towards fitness, with distance, pace and calorie tracking. CNBC reports they're codenamed Puget and will be priced south of $100 to take the fight to Apple's more expensive but very effective AirPods. 

New Alexa smarts

Google has used the last couple of Google I/O events to really showcase the direction and power of Google Assistant - calling using Duplex being one super example. Could we also get a look at where Alexa can take us in future - going beyond simple commands to play music, check the weather or your calendar.

While Alexa Skills and Routines ensure the assistant is capable of much more, it's not quite an everyday essential yet and it has a disadvantage versus Siri or Google Assistant in that it's not on millions of phones by default. 

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Home security stuff

Amazon now has a smart plug, while in the US there is Alexa Guard - a service where your Echo listens out for trouble. And Amazon also owns Ring and Blink who do doorbells and cameras.

Could we get better management of all this stuff, plus some other low-cost gap-fillers like window or door alarms? It all feels a little piecemeal at present aside from the Ring ecosystem which works well but is limited to those devices. 

There could also be more information on a wider rollout of Amazon Key. 

More Echo device changes

Something is niggling at us that Amazon will give the basic Echo a bit more punch as well - the speaker does struggle a little and isn't in the same league as the Echo Plus.

It's true that the first-generation Echo was around for quite a while before getting replaced, however, so that might be what happens with the second-gen. 

Also, could there be a replacement for the Amazon Tap - the portable Echo that never made it to Europe. We've seen other portable Echo devices such as the Ultimate Ears Magabast, Pure DiscovR and the Sonos Move but could Amazon announce its own? 

Finally, Amazon has been discounting the basic Echo Input a lot recently, clearing stock. Will there be a new model - or is it going away after just a year? 

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