News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Follow Amazon’s September 2025 hardware event: all the news and announcements Amazon also calls this the “first-ever” Echo Dot Max, so it’s not clear if this pricier speaker model serves as the sixth generation of the Echo Dot family or a standalone spinoff. Amazon introduced a $40 Echo Pop speaker in 2023, but the traditionally budget-friendly Echo Dot has been long overdue for an upgrade. The previous model was launched in 2022, featuring a new temperature sensor, better bass, and the ability to work as an Eero Mesh Wi-Fi extender. Amazon also debuted the Echo Dot with Clock at the time, but it has since discontinued this model. Amazon’s new Echo Dot Max will also benefit from the company’s AI-upgraded voice assistant, which is available through a new Alexa Plus subscription. Alexa Plus launched in early access in March and offers the ability to hold back-and-forth conversations, as well as control multiple smart home devices based on a single request. Alexa Plus can also “remember” your preferences, such as your favorite types of movies and dietary restrictions, allowing it to make more personalized suggestions. The Echo Dot Max is available for preorder today and will be generally available on October 29th. US customers who purchase any of the new Echo devices will also get early access to Alexa Plus out of the box. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Jess Weatherbed