Amazon launches Echo Studio with Home Camera, renewing privacy concerns over always-on home sensors
Amazon unveiled the Echo Studio with Home Camera, a $250 smart speaker with a built-in camera. It supports home monitoring, video calls and Alexa+ "visual intelligence", such as identifying objects shown to the camera. The article treats the launch as part of a wider trend of always-seeing and always-listening consumer devices, alongside the Apple Watch transcript features and Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. It recalls that Ring employees were once able to view users' camera feeds, which led to a class-action settlement of $5 million. This is product and privacy news with no reported vulnerability, exploitation or breach.
Detalhes técnicos
- The device is powered by Amazon's AZ3 silicon chip, which does on-device processing, and uses Omnisense to monitor room conditions.
- A dedicated button cuts power to the microphones and camera, at the cost of smart functionality. An LED indicates when the camera is streaming.
- Amazon told ZDNET that the camera is not continuously on and is enabled only when a camera-based feature is in use, such as Live View, video calls or asking Alexa to look at something.
- Fire TV compatibility for casting video calls is planned for later this year.
Linha do tempo
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Amazon launches Echo Studio with Home Camera, renewing privacy concerns over always-on home sensors
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Amazon unveiled the Echo Studio with Home Camera, a $250 smart speaker with a built-in camera. It supports home monitoring, video calls and Alexa+ "visual intelligence", such as identifying objects shown to the camera. The article treats the launch as part of a wider trend of always-seeing and always-listening consumer devices, alongside the Apple Watch transcript features and Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. It recalls that Ring employees were once able to view users' camera feeds, which led to a class-action settlement of $5 million. This is product and privacy news with no reported vulnerability, exploitation or breach.
Technical Details
- The device is powered by Amazon's AZ3 silicon chip, which does on-device processing, and uses Omnisense to monitor room conditions.
- A dedicated button cuts power to the microphones and camera, at the cost of smart functionality. An LED indicates when the camera is streaming.
- Amazon told ZDNET that the camera is not continuously on and is enabled only when a camera-based feature is in use, such as Live View, video calls or asking Alexa to look at something.
- Fire TV compatibility for casting video calls is planned for later this year.