Amazon will hold its fall Alexa hardware event next week

Device announcements might be very different during the 2020 pandemic, but that isn’t stopping Amazon from holding its customary fall Alexa event and launching new Echo products. The internet giant has sent invitations to The Verge and others for hardware news on September 24th at 1PM Eastern.

The company didn’t tease what it might unveil, saying only that it had “some news.” The event is also billed as invitation-only, so it might not be streamed for the public. Suffice it to say Amazon won’t be holding an in-person gathering like it did for the 2019 Alexa event.

Read more: The best Alexa speakers beyond the Echo

Amazon has historically used its events to introduce updated Echo speakers and smart displays, along with a few surprises. The 2019 presentation saw it introduce a few conventional devices like the high-end Echo Studio speaker, the Echo Dot with clock and the Echo Show 8 screen. However, it also introduced multiple firsts, including its first Alexa-enabled wireless earbuds (the Echo Buds), Echo Frames smart glasses and Echo Loop ring. We’d expect a similar amount of adventurousness in Amazon’s 2020 Echo lineup.

There may be more pressure than usual to impress would-be smart speaker buyers. Google has teased a Nest-branded sequel to the original Home that might appear at its September 30 event, while Apple is rumored to be introducing a smaller HomePod this fall. Amazon can’t afford to be complacent with its 2020 Echo offerings — it could face much tougher competition before the year is over.