Add voice notes to photos with Amazon’s first digital picture frame, which lets Alexa Plus respond to commands

A frame built for photos

Amazon’s new device is designed to show photos rather than serve as a general smart-home screen. Unlike Echo Show and other Amazon smart-home hubs, it displays photos only and does not show ads.

The 10-inch touchscreen has a semi-matte, anti-glare finish intended to resemble printed photographs. A light sensor adjusts brightness during the day, and the screen can sit on a detachable stand.

Prices and photo sources

The frame is available starting today for $199.99 with a black frame. Birch or walnut wood versions cost $229. It draws images from Amazon Photos, which provides unlimited storage to Prime members. The Amazon Photos app can back up pictures from Android and Apple devices and import from iCloud Photo, but Google Photos imports are not supported yet.

Alexa selects and pairs images

Owners can choose people or albums in Amazon Photos, or ask Alexa Plus to select pictures. The assistant weighs lighting, smiles, and the season, while skipping items such as receipts and screenshots.

Alexa can place related images side by side, including pictures of a child taken a decade apart in similar poses. People can also use voice commands to request a specific collection, such as photos from last summer’s beach trip.

Voice notes and gifts

The Amazon Photos app lets users attach voice notes to pictures, which play through the frame. Recording notes directly on the device is planned for later. People buying the frame as a gift through Amazon can preload photos or albums with voice notes. Those recordings play after the recipient sets up the frame.