Amazon Echo Show users report frustration over increased ads
Owners of Amazon's Echo Show smart displays are increasingly frustrated by a surge in advertisements, leading some to consider ditching the devices. Reports from Reddit and The Verge highlight ads overwhelming home screens, including promotions for the new Alexa+ service. Amazon defends the ads as a way to discover content but has not confirmed any increase.
Amazon Echo Show smart displays, part of the company's lineup of voice-activated gadgets, have long featured some advertising, such as through Shopping Lists, Alexa skills, and audio spots during Amazon Music playback. However, recent user complaints indicate a noticeable uptick in ads on the devices' home screens.
Reports surfaced on Reddit and from Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge, who owns multiple Echo Shows. Tuohy noted seeing ads for the first time this week on one of her devices, including promotions for elderberry herbal supplements, Quest sports chips, and tabletop picture frames. These ads sometimes appear even when the screen is set to display personal photos. One Redditor expressed exasperation, saying, “This is getting ridiculous and I'm about to just toss the whole thing and move back to Google,” referring to full-volume ads for Alexa+, Amazon's new generative AI version of its voice assistant, which is in Early Access and requires a subscription.
The influx of ads, particularly for Alexa+, is prompting users to stop using their devices or return them. Users report being unable to disable these home screen ads. Amazon's advertising program for Alexa devices began in 2023 and expanded in July with home screen ads on devices using Alexa+. The company has also indicated plans to integrate ads into Alexa+ conversations.
Ads adjust based on user proximity: when more than four feet away, they rotate full-screen with content like weather, recipes, sports, and news; closer than four feet, they appear in the first card of the home screen grid. Panos Panay, head of Amazon’s Devices & Services, acknowledged “the randomness” of some ads to Tuohy.
An Amazon spokesperson told Ars Technica, “Advertising is a small part of the experience, and it helps customers discover new content and products they may be interested in. If customers don’t like a suggestion, they can swipe to skip to the next screen card or directly provide feedback by tapping the Information icon or pressing the screen.” The company declined to comment on whether ad loads have increased and stated it will "continue to evolve our advertising experiences based on customer feedback."
Amazon's Devices business does not generate profits, making ads a key revenue source. Following last month's devices launch, the tolerance for such advertising may influence Alexa's future viability alongside pricier hardware.