Amazon announced an array of new programs, devices, and features that make it easier than ever for customers to find, setup, and enjoy connected devices in their homes. Amazon is making smart home simpler with Certified for Humans, a new program that helps customers find products that are tested to be simple to setup and work dependably with Alexa, and new devices like the Amazon Smart Oven that make cooking easy. New Alexa Guard capabilities help customers keep their home safe, and new features like WiFi access and easy reordering of household supplies with Alexa make homes even smarter and more convenient.
“Customers want their smart home technology to make everyday tasks easier, but not at the expense of spending their whole weekend, or hiring an expert, just to get everything setup,” said Daniel Rausch, Amazon Vice President, Smart Home. “We think customers will be delighted with what we have coming this fall—more ways to find smart home devices they can set up in minutes, new Alexa features that take the stress out of being away from home, and new products that help families enjoy great meals together or just have a little fun.”
A Stress-Free, Struggle-Free, No-Patience-Needed Smart Home
Certified for Humans—smart devices for non-experts
Certified for Humans (www.amazon.com/certifiedforhumans) is a new program that helps customers find smart home products that are easy to set up and work seamlessly with Alexa. Every device that carries the Certified for Humans badge offers Frustration Free Setup, which cuts down on the number of steps needed to connect to Alexa. In many cases, it’s as easy as plugging it in. And after that, it only gets better. Certified for Humans devices are tested against over a dozen requirements to help ensure they offer a dependable Alexa experience; no more waiting around for software updates or unresponsive devices. Customers can find the Certified for Humans badge on select smart home devices starting this fall from brands including Amazon, Philips Hue, Hamilton Beach, Kasa Smartby TP-Link, and more.
New Smart Home Devices for Convenience and Fun
Amazon Smart Oven—Voice-Controlled 4-in-1 Oven Makes Every Mealtime Easier—Just $249.99 with Included Echo Dot
Amazon Smart Oven (www.amazon.com/amazonsmartoven) is a combination convection oven, microwave, air fryer and food warmer. When paired with an Echo, customers can ask Alexa to preheat the oven, start or stop cooking, and be notified when the oven is preheated or their favorite lasagna or fresh-baked cookies are ready. Amazon Smart Oven supports 30 cooking presets and comes with a temperature probe to make it easy to get great, crowd-pleasing cooking results. Customers can also use the convenient scan-to-cook feature to make a great meal, every time. Using the Alexa app or, in the future, a compatible Echo Show device, customers can simply scan the barcode on packaged foods and the Amazon Smart Oven will cook them just right. Scan-to-cook will work with hundreds of packaged foods from brands including Whole Foods Market, 365 Everyday Value, Gardein, Marie Callender’s, and more.
Echo Glow—New Multi-Color Smart Lamp that Pairs with Alexa—Just $29.99
A new Echo companion device with fun and helpful features for customers of all ages, Echo Glow(www.amazon.com/echoglow) is a multi-color smart lamp that pairs with Alexa. Just ask for a flickering campfire light for playtime, or a sleep timer that gradually dims as bedtime nears. You can also set Echo Glow to softly cascade through all the colors of the rainbow or, coming soon, ask for a dance party with music and a light show.
85,000 Smart Home Choices for Customers and Growing
Today customers can choose from more than 85,000 Alexa-compatible products designed for every room and outdoor space around their homes, with new brands and devices being added every week. Later this year, customers can enjoy even more convenient, voice-controlled cooking and small kitchen appliances from top brands including Crock-Pot, GE Appliances, Hamilton Beach, Instant Pot, June Oven, LG, and Whirlpool; new support for garage door openers from beam Home and Nexx; and smart blinds and shades from IKEA, Legrand, Lutron, Schellenberg, and Somfy. Other Alexa-compatible devices coming soon for the home include new products from Procter & Gamble, Dyson, Mr. Christmas, Traeger, and more—all Alexa controlled and designed to make your smart home even smarter.
More Convenience and Peace of Mind with New Alexa Features
New Alexa Guard Smart Alert and Routines
With Alexa Guard, customers can keep their home safe when they’re away. When you set Guard to Away mode, if an Echo device detects the sound of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or glass breaking, Alexa can send you Smart Alerts, via notifications to your phone. Starting this fall, Guard will begin supporting a new Smart Alert that can notify customers if the sound of activity like footsteps, talking, coughing, or a door closing, is detected while Guard is in Away mode. Customers can also create Alexa Routines that include Guard to provide even more peace of mind and convenience: set Guard to Away mode, lock the back door, and turn on the porch light with a simple phrase like “Alexa, I’m headed out.” And, Amazon will add additional support for Guard integrations with home security systems from Abode and Scout Alarm.
Manage WiFi Access for Distraction-Free Family Time
Alexa will soon make managing WiFi access for family members easier than ever. Instead of unlocking their phone and using an app, customers can use their voice and ask Alexa to pause WiFi access for the family when dinner is ready and unpause access once the dishes are done. Alexa will also help customers manage WiFi access for a single device, or groups of devices, so access for individual family members can be paused quickly and simply. For added convenience, Alexa will also help customers schedule specific WiFi access times, and even turn on or off guest WiFi access with a simple voice command. Alexa customers can use their voice to manage WiFi access on compatible eero, ASUS, Linksys, and TP-Link routers starting this fall.
Alexa Takes Reordering Household Supplies Off Your To-Do List
Later this year, Alexa will let customers know when supplies used by some of their favorite smart home devices are running low or need to be replaced. For example, Alexa will notify customers when air filters need to be replaced, batteries in a smart lock need to be swapped out, or ink cartridges for a printer are running low. Customers will receive a notification from Alexa when it’s time to reorder, or they can set up smart reordering so that supplies are automatically reordered before they run out. These features will soon be available for customers to conveniently replace batteries for smart locks, security sensors, smart lights, and smart home cameras from August, Blink, Ring, Schlage, and Yale, air filters for Coway air purifiers, and more.
