Last year, Amazon launched the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition. The device differed from the regular version in that it allowed you to view a continuous slideshow of your photos on the screen. However, Amazon will discontinue the feature that justified the existence of this particular model.
Amazon discontinues the “eternal photo slideshow” on the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition
Unlike the regular model, the Amazon Echo Show 8 Photos Edition offers the ability to set up an “infinite” custom slideshow that displays a new photo every 30 seconds. This feature isn’t free, as it requires a paid PhotosPlus subscription ($1.99 monthly), which also includes 25GB of cloud storage to upload your photos. Unfortunately, this feature will disappear on September 23rd.
The decision is causing a stir among owners of the Amazon Echo Show 8 Photos Edition. This variant of the device was a bit more expensive, costing $159.99 (the regular version costs $149.99). Now, all “Photos Edition” devices will be converted to regular models. This also means that users will have to get used to seeing ads on their device’s home screen. However, PhotosPlus subscribers can still look forward to 25GB of cloud storage for storing their photos.
Goodbye, permanent photo slideshows; hello homescreen advertising
The Amazon Echo Show devices are primarily smart displays. These are products that function as smart speakers, but offer expanded options thanks to the touchscreen. For example, you can ask Alexa questions and receive an answer, supplemented by multimedia content. The latest models even support spatial audio technology in their speakers to expand the multimedia area.
The form factor of these products invites you to use them as digital photo frames. However, this is not possible with the original Echo Show 8, as you can only set a slideshow of your favorite photos for a limited time. After three hours of photos, the home screen starts to display advertisements and ads.
Amazon noticed that there was some demand for a model that could display a slideshow of photos indefinitely, so the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition was developed. However, it seems that the initiative did not reach the required user base to be profitable.
