This morning, Amazon has announced its new Echo Look camera, a unique device that leverages Alexa to help you with a variety of tasks. Designed with fashion-forward folks in mind, Amazon’s latest release offers feedback on your style as well as the ability to capture images of your outfit to share on social media services. Today’s news also delivers the Echo Look app for smartphones that works in conjunction with this camera.
Amazon has been very aggressive with the expansion of its Alexa Voice Service in 2017 and its latest in-house device continues that trend. Although this release feels slightly gimmicky in practice, seeing the online giant throw its hat into the camera market is intriguing. More details below.
The new Echo Look will include all of the familiar features we’ve come to love from Amazon’s voice-activated devices. It has a built-in speaker and microphone to leverage Alexa, but it’s the camera here that has really caught our attention. The camera is said to be leveraged strictly for fashion advice and confirming that your clothing is on-point before a big night out. Otherwise it appears to have little real world use at launch.
Billed as your “style assistant” it uses a proprietary algorithm that gives feedback on outfits. The effect and quality of this service has yet to be seen. It will also be able to compare two outfits to find which one best fits your body type. Generally speaking, these types of features tend to be less useful in practice than in theory.
Echo Look was first leaked back in March as a potential Nest Cam competitor, but it appears that its main functionality is fashion-focused. At $199.99, it’s the priciest Alexa device in Amazon’s lineup. If the functionality remains limited to fashion advice and selfies, it’s going to be a tough sell for most consumers.
Amazon will first make Echo Look available by invite only, before coming to market later this year.
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