Amazon has added a camera to its Echo Studio speaker, giving Alexa+ a way to identify objects held in front of it and letting owners check a room from their phones. The Echo Studio with Home Camera began shipping October 28, 2026, at $249.99, according to Amazon’s launch announcement.
The camera-free Echo Studio remains available for $219.99. That leaves shoppers with a $30 choice between a music-focused speaker without a camera and a version that adds a view into the home.
What the camera can do
Amazon says Alexa can recognize a board-game box and explain how to play. It also describes holding up a cereal box so the assistant can help reorder it or find other flavors. Those are examples supplied by the company, not results from an independent test by the Phoenix.
Live View adds a separate use: opening the Alexa app to see the room while away from home. Amazon illustrates that feature with a phone showing a dog resting on a sofa.
Fire TV video calls are still coming
Amazon also plans to let owners pair the camera-equipped Studio with compatible Fire TV devices for video calls on a television. Its announcement says that capability is coming soon. It does not give a launch date or a full compatibility list.
Buyers interested mainly in family video calls should distinguish available hardware from a promised software feature.
The speaker still puts music first
In its detailed speaker announcement, Amazon describes a woofer, three full-range drivers and Dolby Atmos support. It says the underlying audio design carries over from the standard Studio.
New Advanced Room Adaptation is designed to keep adjusting the sound to the room’s acoustics. Adaptive Volume is intended to maintain consistent listening volume as a person moves around. Those are Amazon’s performance claims; this report is not a listening review.
The camera version comes in Graphite. An optional stand costs another $39.99.
What the privacy controls do
Amazon says a dedicated button turns off the microphones and camera. A built-in LED indicates when the camera is sending images or video to the cloud. The launch notice does not describe a physical shutter covering the lens.
The company’s general Echo device FAQ says pressing the microphone-and-camera disable button disconnects power to both. With the camera off, features that need it, including Live View, cannot work. Turning off the microphones also prevents voice interaction with Alexa.
The FAQ distinguishes Live View from Drop In, its communication feature. On supported devices, disabling Drop In does not necessarily disable Live View while the camera remains on. Owners should check the camera and home-monitoring settings rather than assume one communication switch covers every camera use.
Amazon also provides controls to review and delete Alexa voice recordings, transcripts and typed requests under More, then Alexa Privacy, in the app. Those account-history controls serve a different purpose from switching off the camera.
Alexa+ can add a subscription cost
Amazon says certain new-device features require Alexa+. Its current U.S. pricing explanation says Prime members receive the full Alexa+ experience at no added charge. Customers without Prime can subscribe for $19.99 a month.
A free option for non-Prime customers provides text-based Alexa+ chat through the app and Alexa.com, subject to usage limits. It is not the same plan as full access across Alexa-enabled devices.
For buyers, the useful comparison is the total setup: the speaker, any subscription needed for the desired features, and whether a camera belongs in the room. The less expensive, camera-free Studio remains an option for households that want the speaker without adding indoor video.
