Key Points:
- Amazon will end its PhotosPlus subscription on September 12, with full support ending on September 23.
- Ads will replace custom photos on the Echo Show 8’s home screen.
- Affected users must switch to Amazon Photos with 25 GB of storage. The Echo Show 8 Photos Edition is no longer available for purchase.
- Amazon’s Alexa division has faced significant financial losses, prompting changes in strategy, including the subscription-based “Remarkable Alexa.
Amazon is set to discontinue its PhotosPlus subscription feature on the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition, a move that will introduce ads on the device’s home screen. According to customer posts on Reddit and Threads, and as first reported by The Verge, the PhotosPlus subscription, which allowed users to upload and display personal photos on the Echo Show 8, will end on September 12, with Amazon ceasing support for the feature on September 23.
The PhotosPlus service, which costs $2 per month, enabled users to turn their Echo Show 8 into a digital photo frame, rotating their uploaded images every 30 seconds. This feature could be left on indefinitely, provided the device had sufficient battery charge. With the discontinuation, customers will need to transition to Amazon Photos, which offers 25 GB of storage, but they will have to contend with advertisements on their home screens.
Amazon has removed the mention of PhotosPlus subscription from its website, and the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition is no longer available for purchase. This change comes as Amazon faces challenges with its Alexa devices.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Amazon’s Alexa division incurred losses exceeding $25 billion between 2017 and 2021. In response, Amazon has reduced bonuses for Alexa developers and is reportedly developing a more advanced version of Alexa, dubbed “Remarkable Alexa,” which may come with a monthly subscription fee.
Introducing ads on the Echo Show 8 is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to mitigate losses in its Alexa business. As the company shifts focus, the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition users will have to adjust to the new ad-supported model or explore alternative options for displaying their personal photos.
