Amazon’s Big Alexa Event: What to Expect and What Might Surprise Us

Amazon is finally bringing Alexa back into the spotlight.

On Wednesday, February 26 at 10am ET (4pm WAT), the company is hosting a major event in New York City, where we expect to see a revamped Alexa with a price tag and some new devices.

It’s been nearly two years since Amazon last held a dedicated Alexa and Devices event, and in that time, the AI assistants' space has dramatically changed. ChatGPT, Gemini, and Siri’s AI glow-up have left Alexa looking... well, kind of outdated.

So, this event won't be just about unveiling cool gadgets but proving that Alexa still matters in a space where AI is taking over everything.

Here's everything we expect to see:

Alexa 2.0

The biggest reveal at the event will likely be the long-awaited “Remarkable Alexa”—Amazon’s AI-infused version of its voice assistant. First teased in 2023, this upgraded Alexa is expected to bring more natural conversations, understand multiple commands in one request, and take proactive actions without constant follow-ups.

But the catch is it might not be free. Reports suggest that Amazon is considering a subscription model for its new Alexa, with a price between $5 and $10 per month. And if even 10% of Alexa's 6 million U.S. users sign up, analysts say Amazon could rake in $600 million annually—a much-needed boost for a division that had previously lost billions.

A new echo speaker and smart glasses?

Well, Amazon’s Echo lineup is long overdue for an update as the 4th-gen Echo launched in 2020. Even though Amazon has said its new Alexa will run on current hardware devices, it doesn't hurt to hope for a surprise new model.

Another device we expect to see, albeit unlikely, is a refreshed Echo Frames seeing as smart glasses are now trendy thanks to Meta’s Ray-Ban AI glasses.

Fire TV upgrade

Meanwhile, Amazon’s Fire TV lineup could also get some love, with improved AI-powered search and personalization features. Also, the company has been pushing deeper smart home integrations, so we might see updates that let Alexa control devices more intuitively—think, “Alexa, the floor is dirty,” and your Roomba automatically starts cleaning.

Conclusion

Unlike the old days when Amazon threw everything at the wall (remember the Alexa-powered microwave?), this event seems laser-focused on making Alexa smarter and more useful.

So, we may not see a flood of random gadgets. Also, don’t expect to tune in live—Amazon won’t be livestreaming the event. Instead, updates will roll out as announcements are made on the ground.