Amazon adds a glare-reducing nanomatte display to its new Echo Show 16

It has a bigger screen and a much thinner body than the Echo Show 15,

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Amazon has redesigned the Echo Show, and it calls the latest model its "most advanced, versatile smart display" yet. The Echo Show 16 features a 16-inch full high-definition screen, available with a standard or a nanomatte finish. If you'll recall, the company introduced its nanomatte technology with the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. Amazon developed an anti-reflective etching with Corning to minimize glare while preserving detail and color accuracy in a way conventional matte screens can't. We found that the technology does a remarkable job: when we reviewed the Tablet 12 Pro, it reduced glare from strong light sources to nearly nothing.

Thanks to its bigger screen, the Echo Show 16 has 10 percent more viewing area than the Echo Show 15. It also features a new anodized aluminum frame. It is nearly 40 percent thinner than its predecessor, a difference we noticed when we saw it in person at the company's demo event in NYC. To support the slimmer design, Amazon also redesigned its audio architecture, adding eight custom micro woofers and two tweeters that it says can make video calls and TV shows sound crystal clear even in noisy rooms. Plus, the new smart display has 20 percent more computing power than its predecessor. 

The device also includes new cameras, including a wide-angle 13-megapixel lens with the widest field of view Amazon has offered on an Echo Show. Its Visual ID feature — the facial recognition tech Amazon uses to display personalized content on its smart displays — can recognize you up to 17 feet away. Previously, it only worked for up to eight feet. 

Like the previous model, the Echo Show 16 has built-in Fire TV so that you can watch videos, shows and movies on YouTube, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and other streaming services. It includes a remote if you want to treat it as a TV, but you can also ask Alexa+ to navigate for you, add things to your watchlist, or give you recommendations. 

Speaking of Alexa+, the assistant now behaves differently if you talk to it via the display. Instead of showing you a transcript of your conversation, Alexa generates interactive content in real time. For example, it can create a chart comparing your options if you ask it to help you shop for a particular item. Alexa will list out the things you have to consider when buying that item and then link out to products you can check. It will also organize your conversations into Cards to make them easier to revisit. If you use it to help you plan a vacation, a Card for that conversation will include reservations, details and relevant links for trips and tours. Of course, these features will require a Prime membership or a standalone Alexa+ subscription. 

When you're not using your Echo Show to stream movies and series, you can turn it into a digital photo frame. You can also use it as a customized dashboard for your connected home, letting you control your lights, thermostat and speakers from one place. And yes, you can use it to access and display the new Alexa Home Map, which provides a visual way to see and control your smart home. Finally, the Family Organizer screen style shows you schedules, tasks, meal plans and to-do lists for the whole family. 

The Echo Show 16 is now available for pre-order and will start shipping later this year, presumably in time for the holiday season. The standard-display version costs $500, while the nanomatte version costs $570. However, you get $100 off if you pre-order. You can also get an optional stand for $70 or a swivel-and-tilt stand for $125.