Users regret buying Amazon smart displays due to ads
Customers are unhappy with the high volume of ads on Amazon smart displays.
Amazon increases ads on Echo Show
Alexa's ads program launched in 2023
Ads may appear during conversations
Customer feedback will shape ad experience
Panos Panay acknowledges ad randomness
Device sales depend on ad tolerance
Amazon Echo Show smart display users have been increasingly vocal about intrusive advertisements degrading their device experience. These changes coincide with Amazon’s 2025 introduction of Alexa+, an AI-powered voice assistant subscription shaping new advertising and monetization strategies.[1][3][5]
User Frustrations and Advertising Impact on Echo Show Daily Use
Echo Show owners report frequent and disruptive full-screen ads, including:
Ads popping up during personal photo slideshows, weather updates, alarms, and music playback.
Screen-taking sponsored promotions, especially for Alexa+ and various Amazon products.
No available option for permanently disabling ads despite devices being sold at full price.
Resulting frustrations prompting some users to return devices or switch to competitor products such as Google Nest Hub.
Users share their objections on forums like Reddit and report ineffectiveness of workarounds such as altered settings or routines. One Reddit user stated, “This is getting ridiculous, I’m about to just toss the whole thing and move back to Google”.[3][4][1]
Amazon’s Advertising Expansion and Alexa+ Subscription Rollout
To offset billions in hardware losses, Amazon intensified in-device ads starting in early 2025:
Amazon DSP allows advertisers to place display ads on Echo Show home screens, increasing branded visibility.
Alexa+ subscription service launched in February 2025 at $19.99/month for non-Prime members, free for Prime members; integrated with new Echo devices.
Devices detect proximity, showing full-screen ads when users are ≥4 feet away and smaller ads on home screen cards when closer.
Ads increasingly interrupt voice commands and conversations, with plans to monetize multi-turn voice interactions.
Despite corporate claims that ads aid product discovery, many users feel their devices have become “digital billboards” rather than assistants.[5][11][12]
Amazon’s Devices division continues to post multibillion-dollar losses, contrasted with overall company profits exceeding $20 billion quarterly in 2025. Advertising revenue surpassing $17 billion annually offsets hardware sales losses, making ad integration necessary for business sustainability. CEO Andy Jassy confirmed advertising as a leverage for revenue growth via enhanced Alexa interactions.[12][13]
Consumer Rights, Competitive Pressures, and Transparency Concerns
Unlike ad-supported Amazon Kindle devices, Echo Show lacks any price differentiation or opt-out choice for ads, raising consumer trust and legal scrutiny issues.
Increasing backlash manifests through social media, forums, and return waves, with adverse impacts on brand loyalty.
Competitors like Google offer less aggressive ad models, increasing consumer pressure on Amazon.
Recent industry commentary forecasts that unchecked ad proliferation could risk undermining long-term smart device adoption.[9][13][5]
Luca Fischer is a senior technology journalist with more than twelve years of professional experience specializing in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and consumer electronics. L. Fischer earned his M.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University in 2011, where he developed a strong foundation in data science and network security before transitioning into tech media.
Throughout his career, Luca has been recognized for his clear, analytical approach to explaining complex technologies. His in-depth articles explore how AI innovations, privacy frameworks, and next-generation devices impact both industry and society.
Luca’s work has appeared across leading digital publications, where he delivers detailed reviews, investigative reports, and feature analyses on major players such as Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD, Intel, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity AI.
Beyond writing, he mentors young journalists entering the AI-tech field and advocates for transparent, ethical technology communication. His goal is to make the future of technology understandable and responsible for everyone.
Arstechnica is a technology news website that provides in-depth articles, reviews, and analysis on topics like computer hardware and software, science, politics, and video games. The site, which is owned by Condé Nast, was founded in 1998 and is known for its detailed and technically savvy content, often aimed at readers who are passionate about technology.
Elena Voren is a senior journalist and Tech Section Editor with 8 years of experience focusing on AI ethics, social media impact, and consumer software. She is recognized for interviewing industry leaders and academic experts while clearly distinguishing opinion from evidence-based reporting.
She earned her B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of California, Berkeley (2016), where she studied human-computer interaction, AI, and digital behavior.
Elena’s work emphasizes the societal implications of technology, ensuring readers understand both the practical and ethical dimensions of emerging tools. She leads the Tech Section at Faharas NET, supervising coverage on AI, consumer software, digital society, and privacy technologies, while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
Based in Berlin, Germany, Elena provides insightful analyses on technology trends, ethical AI deployment, and the influence of social platforms on modern life.
Mrs. Kamar Mahmoud serves as the Managing Editor of the English Division at Faharas website, where she plays a pivotal role in maintaining the site's editorial excellence. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to journalistic integrity, Kamar.M oversees the entire content lifecycle from writer assignments through to final publication. Her responsibilities include managing editorial workflows, providing guidance to writers, and ensuring that every article published meets Faharas website's rigorous standards of quality, accuracy, and clarity. Through her leadership, she helps maintain the site's reputation for delivering reliable and well-crafted content to its readership.
