A special-edition, Alexa-powered smart display that could double as a true digital photo frame won’t be so special in a few weeks.
Owners of the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition just got an email from Amazon warning them that PhotosPlus, a subscription service that allowed the display to serve up curated or personal photos as the “primary content” on the screen, will go dark next month.
The PhotosPlus compatibility is the only thing special about the $159.99 Echo Show 8 Photos Edition, which costs $10 more compared to the standard, third-generation Echo Show 8. The Photos Edition display is no longer available for purchase on Amazon’s website.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers.
Without PhotosPlus, the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition will only work as a photo frame in three-hour busts, same as the regular Echo Show 8.
The PhotosPlus service costs $1.99 a month following a six-month free trial, and it included 25GB of storage on Amazon Photos.
In its email to users, Amazon said it would automatically cancel all PhotosPlus subscriptions on September 12, and that “you can continue enjoying the benefits of PhotosPlus” until that date.
Unsurprisingly, many Echo Show 8 Photos Edition users vented their frustration on the Amazon Echo subreddit.
“Great, that’s the only thing I use it for,” groused one user, while another argued that Amazon “should at the very least provide a credit for the difference” in price.
Related: The thrid-gen Echo Show 8 is smarter and sounds better
We’ve reached out to Amazon for further details.
Amazon first unveiled the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition last September during the company’s annual hardware event, alongside an updated version of the standard Echo Show 8.
Aside from its compatibility with the soon-to-be-nixed PhotosPlus service, the Echo Show 8 Photos Edition appeared to consist of exactly the same hardware as the non-Photos Edition version.
In the absence of PhotosPlus, Echo Show 8 Photoe Edition users must say “Alexa, start photo frame” to trigger the photo frame mode.
The mode automatically turns off after three hours, with the display reverting to the standard Echo Show carousel, complete with ads.
Word that Amazon’s PhotosPlus service is going away follows last month’s news that the Echo Dot with Clock has been discontinued.
Amazon also recently announced it would brick the Amazon Astro for Business robot watch dog.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.