Learn why Amazon fills the Echo Show with invasive ads, what this means for you, and how to stay in control of your device’s displays.
Amazon is no stranger to ads, and proof of this is the increase in ad breaks that it will implement in Prime Video. The company knows that this is one of the most useful mechanisms to increase revenue and is now testing the patience of its customers on a new front: the Echo Show.
Hundreds of users report an increase in full-screen ads on their Echo Shows, even when they’re set to display personal photos. Amazon uses the device’s screen to display advertising for sponsored products, such as food supplements or snacks, as well as promotions for its services. In more severe cases, the ads interrupt functions such as the alarm or photo frame.
On forums like Reddit, users have vented their frustration, and some even returned their devices and requested a refund. The reaction is not surprising, especially if we consider that the ads appear when reviewing your photo library. The ad takes up the full screen of the Echo Show and turns it into a billboard inside the home.
While Amazon already included ads through Alexa, these were occasional and appeared in the shopping category. Some veteran users of the Echo Show claimed that they had never seen an advertising strategy as invasive as it is now. Apparently, the company wants to recover the millions of dollars in losses suffered by its device division in the last four years, and ads are the key.
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Amazon won’t turn off ads on Echo Shows
Despite the criticism, the company has no intention of backing down. Amazon champions ads as a discovery experience that helps users find relevant content. “Customers who don’t like a suggestion can swipe to omit or give feedback via the on-screen information icon,” a company spokesperson told Ars Technica.
So far there is no option to disable ads on the Echo Show. Some users suggest turning on “Do Not Disturb” mode or not adding products to the shopping list. However, these tricks do not solve the problem, and the advertising will appear sooner or later, which many consider an abuse, since they are paying the full price of the product.
Knowing Amazon, it is unlikely that this situation will change for the benefit of consumers. Although the company claims that its commitment is to improve the advertising experience and not just increase the number of ads, the truth is that Amazon is shaping up for the latter. Advertising on the Echo Show not only sneaks into places where it shouldn’t, but tries to convince users to pay more for the company’s services, such as the new Alexa+.
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It’s infuriating. As soon as a suitable replacement is available (fingers crossed for Apple HomePod Mini w/display), my 3 are going directly in the trash.
Totally get you! I’ve been waiting for Apple to drop that version too — it can’t come soon enough.