As someone who has ventured into the world of early smart glasses adoption, I can attest that the experience has often been underwhelming. Typically, smart glasses are either clunky and awkward or so heavy that you wear them once and forget about them.
However, Amazon’s recent unveiling of the Echo Frames V2 at its September 20 device event may just disrupt this pattern. Alongside a host of smart products, including the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd gen), new Echo Dots for Kids, 4K FireTV Sticks, a new Fire TV soundbar, FireHD tablets, Ring, Blink, and Eero devices, Amazon introduced an upgraded version of its smart glasses.
To earn my approval, smart glasses must meet specific criteria: they should be lightweight, offer touchless interaction (though touch support is appreciated), resemble regular eyeglasses, and, most importantly, be genuinely smart. Amazon’s Echo Frames V2 seem to tick most of these boxes. The company has cleverly relocated the technology from the front of the frames to the stems, resulting in a more inconspicuous appearance. Moreover, the stems are now 15% smaller than the previous Echo Frames, significantly enhancing comfort.
During my brief encounter with the Echo Frames, I tried the basic model, which closely resembled my classic Clark Kent-style frames. I did not test the larger and pricier Carrera Smart Glasses with Alexa Collection frames, starting at $389. The standard Echo Frames are priced at $269.99 and will initially be available only in the US.