Amazon has launched its latest hardware season with two major announcements: the introduction of Alexa Plus, an enhanced version of its voice assistant, and the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, the first Kindle to support color. These updates aim to transform the smart home experience and digital reading for millions. For years, Alexa has faced criticism for lagging behind competitors like Google Assistant and Apple’s Siri. With Alexa Plus, Amazon aims to present it as a more natural conversation partner rather than a mechanical assistant. Currently in its early access phase, Alexa Plus exhibits “agentic” capabilities, allowing direct connections with services such as Uber, OpenTable, and Ticketmaster for booking rides, making reservations, or purchasing tickets via simple voice commands.
Notably, Alexa Plus can remember significant details like birthdays or Wi-Fi passwords and create smart home routines based on everyday voice instructions. Users are no longer required to use specific phrasing; casual conversation is now sufficient for Alexa Plus to respond appropriately. This conversational enhancement may be the key for Amazon to reestablish Alexa as a central figure in smart home technology. The updated assistant will come pre-installed on new Echo speakers and Fire TV devices, many of which are already available for pre-order, with some Echo models expected to ship later in October. Currently, Alexa Plus is available only in the U.S. under an early access program, but Amazon plans a global rollout next year.
On the reading front, Amazon is significantly revamping its Kindle lineup with the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, introducing color to the previously greyscale E Ink display. Unlike bright LCD screens, Amazon’s Colorsoft technology is designed to be easy on the eyes, enabling users to highlight text in various colors, sketch with digital pens, and add shading to illustrations. All new Scribe models come with an 11-inch paper-like screen, a slimmer design, reduced parallax for more natural handwriting, and improved processing for enhanced performance.
Three editions are set to launch: a redesigned Kindle Scribe with front light priced at $499.99 (later this year), the flagship Kindle Scribe Colorsoft at $629.99, and a more affordable version without front light at $429.99 (early 2026). European launches in the UK and Germany are also expected in early 2026. Beyond hardware, Kindle software is undergoing a significant overhaul. New features include Quick Notes, integration with Google Drive and OneDrive, and an AI-powered notebook that can search handwritten notes or generate summaries. Amazon has also hinted at new reading tools, including spoiler-free recaps and an “Ask this Book” feature, allowing readers to ask contextual questions and receive AI-generated answers without disrupting their reading experience.
Looking ahead, Amazon hinted at the possibility of syncing Kindle notes with Alexa Plus, enabling users to ask questions like, “What did I note about Chapter 3?” With the introduction of Alexa Plus and the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, Amazon is marking the beginning of a new era that merges AI-driven intelligence with creative, distraction-free digital reading.