The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 is underway, and Amazon is presenting its newest innovations, including the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series, Echo Show 21, Echo Spot, and Kindle Colorsoft. This year’s event in Las Vegas features key partnerships and developments spanning smart home, entertainment, automotive, and artificial intelligence.
Ring and Kidde Partner for Smart Smoke and CO Alarms
Ring and Kidde are joining forces to introduce Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms with integrated Ring technology. These new alarms offer real-time alerts via the Ring app when unsafe levels are detected, providing a crucial advantage in emergencies.
Customers can choose professional monitoring through a new Ring 24/7 Smoke & CO Monitoring subscription ($5/month). Trained agents can request emergency assistance and alert emergency contacts when an alarm is triggered. The new Wi-Fi-connected alarms don’t require a Ring Alarm or hub. Kidde’s enhanced sensing technology is 25% faster in smoke detection and up to three times more precise, reducing false alarms. These new alarms can also send real-time alerts via the Ring app for other eligible hardwired Kidde alarms in the home, enhancing the overall awareness system throughout the house.
Available exclusively through The Home Depot in the U.S. starting April 2025, customers can sign up to be notified when the alarms are available for purchase. The optional Ring 24/7 Smoke & CO Monitoring service will be available for $5/month starting April 2, 2025, through Ring.com.
Ring Enhances Camera Capabilities
Ring is advancing its video quality by adding 2K video resolution to its Floodlight Cam Pro and Spotlight Cam Pro. This improvement aims to deliver superior sharpness and texture, enhancing the detail and clarity of video footage. The upgrade to 2K resolution will be available at no additional cost to existing customers through the Ring app, starting January 8, 2025. Ring’s image quality is based on Ring Vision technology, which utilizes sophisticated software and advanced hardware to ensure optimal color balance and smooth motion.
New Packaging for Amazon Devices
Amazon is refreshing the packaging for its Echo, Kindle, and Fire TV products. The new packaging uses more recycled fiber and less ink, reflecting the company’s commitment to sustainability.
Panasonic Integrates Fire TV in New Smart TV Models
Panasonic is expanding its Fire TV integration with the introduction of three new smart TV models. This expands access to Alexa and a wide range of streaming services, applications, and additional features. This follows the global collaboration with Amazon last year, marking the return of Panasonic smart TVs to the U.S. market after a ten-year absence.
The Fire TV integration features a personalized home screen, merging streaming services, applications, live channels, and tailored suggestions. The new lineup includes:
- The Z95B OLED TV (55″, 65″, 77″): Panasonic’s flagship OLED series that features revolutionary Primary RGB Tandem Panel and the brand’s innovative ThermalFlow aerodynamic cooling system for extraordinary brightness, contrast, and color volume. It also features theatre-like sound, and Fire TV built-in enhancements like Prime Video Calibrated Mode, Alexa voice controls, and the Fire TV Ambient Experience.
- The W95B Mini LED TV (55″, 65″, 75″, 85”): A flagship Mini LED series that offers next-level picture quality with advanced technologies, improved audio, outstanding gaming features, Alexa voice controls, personalized content discovery out of the box, and the Fire TV Experience. Like the Z95B it also features Prime Video Calibrated Mode, Alexa voice controls, and the Fire TV Ambient Experience.
- The W70B Series Smart TV (43″, 50”, 55”, 65”, 70”,75”): A core 4K UHD TV, introducing superior picture with a sleek design, aimed at delivering a budget-friendly immersive viewing experience.
BMW’s Intelligent Personal Assistant Powered by Alexa
BMW’s new X3, launched in July 2024, features the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant, powered by Amazon’s Alexa Custom Assistant technology. This collaboration aims to provide a seamless in-car experience for drivers.
BMW and Amazon plan to introduce LLM-powered capabilities in selected vehicles and locations as part of a beta program. These will include features like conversational trip planning and navigation. Drivers will be able to use voice commands like, “Hey BMW, take me to the building in Seattle that’s shaped like a needle” to get routed to the Space Needle, and “Hey BMW, are there any good food options that are open around me before I take off” to get information about restaurants.
Collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies
Amazon and Qualcomm Technologies plan a technology collaboration to improve in-vehicle experiences. This will leverage Qualcomm Technologies’ automotive expertise and Amazon’s AI services. They will explore ways to enhance AI capabilities for automotive applications and deliver more intuitive, personalized, and responsive in-car experiences using technologies like Alexa Custom Assistant and solutions from Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon® Digital Cockpit Platform and software framework.
HERE Technologies and AWS Partner for Advanced Mapping Solutions
HERE Technologies (HERE) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have announced a new collaboration utilizing a cloud infrastructure agreement to provide a scalable and streamlined solution for automakers developing location-aware software. This will advance Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) development, and combining AWS technologies with HERE mapping solutions will help accelerate the development of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Automated Driving (AD), and new digital car experiences.
Valeo and AWS Collaboration for Software-Defined Vehicles
Valeo and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are working together to revolutionize the automotive industry’s Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) era. This collaboration aims to facilitate faster and more efficient development, testing, and validation of the software stacks needed for different vehicle systems like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and infotainment systems, and autonomous mobility. This collaboration supports the development of new end-user features for drivers.
Purchase Hyundai Vehicles on Amazon
Customers in 48 major U.S. cities can now purchase new Hyundai vehicles directly from their local participating dealers through the Amazon platform.
