Amazon Hardware Event Set for September 30th Led by Panos Panay
Amazon has officially scheduled a press event for September 30th at 10AM Eastern Time. The event will be led by Panos Panay, the head of the company’s Devices and Services division, strongly indicating that new hardware announcements are on the way.
While the exact products remain a mystery, a composite image included with the press invitation provides a significant clue. The image showcases silhouettes of several Amazon devices, which appear to include a Kindle e-reader, a Fire TV product, and an Echo speaker. These represent three of Amazon’s most important and popular hardware categories.
The timing suggests a refresh for the entry-level Kindle could be imminent. Amazon recently updated its high-end Kindle Scribe and the mid-tier Kindle Colorsoft, making the basic model the next logical candidate for an update. A new Paperwhite e-reader is also a possibility.
The Echo line of smart speakers is in a similar position. Amazon has recently introduced new versions of the Echo Dot, the Echo Pop, and the Echo Show 8. However, the standard, flagship Echo speaker has not seen a redesign in nearly five years, making it a prime candidate for a major update. Any new Echo devices will likely feature deeper integration with Amazon’s upcoming Alexa+ smart assistant service.
The Fire TV portion of the image is less clear. It has been a couple of years since Amazon released a new wave of Fire TV streaming sticks and dongles. The fuzzy image could also potentially hint at a new Fire Tablet instead of TV hardware. We will have to wait for the event to get clarification.
The event is just a couple of weeks away, so all will be revealed soon. Panos Panay’s presence signals that Amazon has significant updates planned for its consumer electronics ecosystem.
