Echo Show Ads Spur Owner Backlash, Eroding Amazon Device Trust
People who bought an Amazon Echo Show are starting to complain that the screen is turning into a mini-ad board. What used to be a handy hub for lights, locks and recipes now flashes promos in the Shopping List and even pushes third-party Alexa skills. A few owners say the speaker also plays short audio spots when it’s idle. It feels like Amazon is nudging us toward a more ad-heavy model, which is a big shift from the utility-first vibe that sold these devices in the first place.
Threads on Reddit and tweets are full of users saying they wish they’d never bought the thing, calling it a billboard in their living room. Amazon’s whole Alexa ecosystem leans on these screens to keep people hooked on Prime, Music and other services. If shoppers start pulling the plug on always-on, always-listening gadgets, that could slow down growth in the consumer-IoT space. The whole episode makes you wonder how much money Amazon can chase before the experience becomes too much of a hassle for everyday users.
Amazon Echo Show owners are reporting an uptick in advertisements on their smart displays. The company's Echo Show smart displays have previously shown ads through the company's Shopping Lists feature, as well as advertising for Alexa skills. Additionally, Echo Shows may play audio ads when users listen to Amazon Music on Alexa.
However, reports on Reddit (examples here, here, and here) and from The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, who owns more than one Echo Show, suggest that Amazon has increased the amount of ads it shows on its smart displays' home screens. The Echo Show’s apparent increase in ads is pushing people to stop using or even return their Echo Shows. The smart displays have also started showing ads for Alexa+, the new generative AI version of Amazon's Alexa voice assistant.
Ads for the subscription-based Alexa+ are reportedly taking over Echo Show screens, even though the service is still in Early Access.
It seems a lot of Echo Show owners are getting fed up, and that points to a bigger problem in the smart-home world: how to make money without ruining the experience. Amazon, for example, is clearly looking for new revenue from the millions of devices it already shipped, but that push could push away the very people who keep the ecosystem alive. The backlash feels like a warning for anyone selling cheap hardware and hoping to cash in later on services or ads.
If trust keeps slipping, Amazon might see slower uptake of the next round of devices - shoppers could start seeing the hardware as an ad platform rather than a convenience tool. We’ve seen similar push-back on other services that added ads after building a user base; without clear transparency and real control, the move can backfire. In the end, ambient-computing gadgets only work when users feel they’re getting a fair deal, and right now that line looks pretty fuzzy.
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Common Questions Answered
How are Echo Show devices displaying unwanted advertisements to users?
Echo Show devices are displaying promotions through features like the Shopping List and by highlighting third-party Alexa skills. Additionally, some users report hearing audio ads when the device is idle or when listening to Amazon Music on Alexa.
What evidence suggests a recent increase in ads on Echo Show smart displays?
Reports on Reddit and from The Verge’s Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, who owns multiple Echo Shows, indicate a noticeable uptick in advertisements. This user feedback from various sources confirms the growing frustration among the device owner community.
What broader industry challenge does the Echo Show ad backlash illustrate?
The situation highlights the critical tension in the smart home market between monetization and user experience. It serves as a cautionary tale for consumer tech companies that sell hardware at low margins while relying on future service and advertising revenue, risking customer alienation.