Amazon’s Echo Look cameras will cease to function from July 24, with the company confirming it is shutting down the fashion-themed smart home device.
The e-commerce giant turned tech titan says the time has come to wind down the platform and is offering some Echo Look owners a free Echo Show 5 as compensation.
Amazon is alerting all customers via email, which was first spotted by Voicebot.ai (via TechCrunch). The correspondence explains the product is being discontinued and will not be supported moving forward.
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That’s because the Style with Alexa platform is now available within the Amazon Shopping app and within other Alexa-enabled devices. The letter tells users of the $200 device:
“When we introduced Echo Look three years ago, our goal was to train Alexa to become a style assistant as a novel way to apply AI and machine learning to fashion. With the help of our customers we evolved the service, enabling Alexa to give outfit advice and offer style recommendations. We’ve since moved Style by Alexa features into the Amazon Shopping app and to Alexa-enabled devices making them even more convenient and available to more Amazon customers. For that reason, we have decided it’s time to wind down Echo Look. Beginning July 24, 2020, both Echo Look and its app will no longer function. Customers will still be able to enjoy style advice from Alexa through the Amazon Shopping app and other Alexa-enabled devices. We look forward to continuing to support our customers and their style needs with Alexa.”
The Echo Look was a weird entry into the Alexa ecosystem to say the least. It was launched in 2017 with the aim of making Alexa your own personal stylist. Users could prance around in front of the Echo Look and receive feedback on their look. The theory was that the camera could help fashionistas choose their outfits with a little help from machine learning.
If you’re affected by the shutdown, Amazon is offering the code ECHOLOOK20 at checkout when purchasing an Echo Show 5, although it’s not clear this offer applies to every Echo Look owner.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
