Amazon has announced four new Echo devices for 2025: Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11. The focus is audio quality, faster on-device processing, and smarter ambient features powered by new chips and a sensor platform called Omnisense. The devices will ship in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of 2025, with next-gen Alexa+ features to follow once available in the region.
Echo Dot Max: the smallest Echo gets serious about bass
Echo Dot Max adds a second driver, reworked acoustics, and claims nearly three times the bass of the fifth-gen Echo Dot.
- Two-way speaker system with high-excursion woofer and custom tweeter
- New design integrates the speaker into the housing for more air volume
- Room-adaptive sound aims to fill small spaces without harsh highs
- Built on Amazon’s AZ3 silicon for better mic performance and wake-word accuracy
Echo Dot Max is a ground-up redesign. The separate speaker module is gone, so more of the internal space is used for airflow, which helps low-end performance. Amazon says the bass is almost triple the old Dot, helped by a high-excursion woofer for punch and a tweeter to keep vocals clear. The AZ3 chip also improves far-field pickup, with better noise rejection and wake-word detection. It’s still compact, so think bedrooms, kitchens, and desks, not party speakers.
Echo Studio: smaller body, bigger stage
Echo Studio shrinks by about 40% compared to the original, supports spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, and goes for a clean spherical look.
- High-excursion woofer plus three full-range drivers
- Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos support
- New spherical design with 3D-knit fabric for acoustic transparency
- Designed to blend into living rooms without dragging attention
Echo Studio is pitched as the best sound Amazon offers at this size. The driver layout aims to project a wider image, while the woofer handles low-end heft. Dolby Atmos and spatial processing should give a sense of height and width, if the content supports it. The fabric wrap is knit to avoid muffling the sound, and the familiar light ring also gains more expressive visuals. If you want a one-box smart speaker that does movies as well as music, Studio is the one to watch.
Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11: cleaner screens, stronger sound
Both smart displays get new panels and a fresh audio system with front-firing stereo speakers plus a custom woofer.
- High-density, high-definition displays with over a million pixels
- In-cell touch and negative liquid crystal design for wider viewing angles
- 13 MP camera for sharper video calls
- Front-facing stereo drivers under a “floating” display, tuned for voice clarity
- Optional adjustable stand, sold separately
The new screen stack reduces layers, which helps clarity and off-axis viewing. Bright rooms should see less washed-out contrast, and dim rooms should keep detail without glare. The speakers are tucked under the edge of the panel and fire forward, so voices and dialogue cut through kitchen clatter or living-room noise. Both models are built for ambient displays that adapt to the room, surfacing useful info without shouting for attention. The stand lets you tilt to a comfortable angle for cooking, calls, or bedside use.
New chips and sensors: AZ3, AZ3 Pro and Omnisense
Amazon’s latest silicon targets faster on-device processing and better voice pickup, and adds an AI Accelerator for future models.
- AZ3 in Echo Dot Max for improved wake-word detection and microphone performance
- AZ3 Pro in Echo Studio, Show 8 and Show 11 with support for larger language and vision models
- New AI Accelerator aims at running future edge AI workloads
- Omnisense sensor platform blends camera, audio, ultrasound, Wi-Fi radar, accelerometer and channel state data
Alexa works best when it hears you clearly and responds fast. AZ3 focuses on those basics in smaller hardware. AZ3 Pro adds headroom for more complex tasks, including on-device language features and vision transformers. Omnisense pulls data from several sensors to enable context-aware behaviour. That could include more accurate presence detection, proactive reminders, or adjusting displays and audio based on where you are in the room. It’s the plumbing for ambient computing rather than a single headline feature.
Alexa today and Alexa+ tomorrow in the UAE and KSA
The new hardware is ready for Alexa+, Amazon’s generative AI assistant, once it rolls out in the UAE and KSA.
- All four devices ship with faster responses out of the box
- Alexa+ features will arrive later when available regionally
- The hardware is built to run next-gen models on device for privacy and speed
You can use Alexa as usual at launch. The hardware upgrades mean requests should be snappier and more reliable. Alexa+ promises richer conversations and more proactive help, but Amazon is clear it will come to the UAE and KSA after the global rollout. The silicon and sensor groundwork here is what makes that possible later, so you don’t have to buy again when it lands.
Pricing and availability in the UAE and KSA
Amazon says all four devices will be available in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of 2025. Local pricing will follow regional listings closer to launch.
- Echo Dot Max, Echo Studio, Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11
- Regional availability: UAE and KSA by end of 2025
- Accessories: adjustable stand for Show models, sold separately
Retail pricing and colour options were not shared at announcement. Expect pre-orders and bundles to appear as we approach the regional on-sale date. We’ll update our coverage once Amazon MENA confirms final details.
When will the new Echo devices be available in the UAE and KSA?
Amazon says by the end of 2025. Local pre-order dates and pricing will be announced nearer the time.
Do Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 support better video calls?
Yes. Both include a 13 MP camera and improved microphones. The updated audio system should also make voices clearer during calls.
What’s the difference between AZ3 and AZ3 Pro?
AZ3 focuses on voice pickup and responsiveness in smaller devices like Echo Dot Max. AZ3 Pro adds support for more advanced language and vision models, used in Echo Studio and the new Echo Show displays.
