Amazon's Echo Spot gets a long-awaited refresh with a new design and better audio

Amazon has given its affordable Echo Spot smart alarm clock a much-needed refresh ahead of its upcoming Prime Day event. The new model comes with a couple of noteworthy changes, including a fresh design and a more powerful speaker, and it is currently available at a 44% discount.

Although the new Echo Spot (2024) has the same general shape as its predecessor, it no longer features a circular display. Instead, Amazon has opted for a new touchscreen panel that covers the top half of the face. It offers support for a wide range of clock faces, and can even display the weather and temperature with animated illustrations.

Underneath the display, the new Echo Spot houses a larger 1.73-inch directional speaker. This should make it suitable for listening to music and podcasts, which was one of the main shortcomings of the previous model. Amazon has also addressed privacy concerns by not equipping the new model with a camera.

Like other speakers in Amazon’s Echo lineup, the new Echo Spot offers support for pretty much all Alexa features, including the ability to set alarms, answer questions, set reminders, or check the weather. Users will also be able to control connected smart home devices, run Alexa Routines, make calls and household announcements, and get alerts from compatible smart doorbells.

The Echo Spot (2024) is already up for sale in Black, Glacier White, and Ocean Blue colorways, and Prime members can grab it at a 44% discount for $44.99 until July 17. Amazon is also giving buyers a chance to save an additional 20% with an eligible trade-in. Following the event, the smart alarm clock will be available for $79.99.