The Echo Auto, Amazon’s first official Alexa device for you car, is still only available by invitation. Invites began rolling out in very limited numbers at the very end of last year and have been trickling out ever since. Earlier this week, the introductory price of $24.99 was temporarily removed, before being reinstated a few hours later. Additionally, this week is the first time multiple Echo Autos popped up for sale on eBay. Both of these events could be an indication that the Echo Auto is close to a more wide-spread release.
Reddit user ChimeraYo spotted the temporary price increase for the Echo Auto from its introductory price of $24.99 to its list price of $49.99. Checking price tracking sites confirms that between midnight and 11 am on April 1st, the price did indeed increase before returning to where it has been ever since the Echo Auto was first announced last September. The temporary price glitch could be an indicator that Amazon is getting ready to end the introductory discount and/or end the invitation requirement.
Whether the introductory discount or the invitation period will soon come to an end, it does seem like Amazon has recently increased the number of invitations going out. I’m seeing more people these days report getting invites than ever before. On top of that, a few Echo Autos are currently listed for sale on eBay. This week is the first time any Echo Autos have ever popped up on the auction site. The first one listed has already surpassed $100, which is twice what it will sell for once released to everyone, and the auction still has 5 days to go before it ends. Seeing Echo Autos appear on eBay is another indicator that the highly anticipated device is getting into more and more customer’s hands.
There’s still no way to know when the average person will be able to purchase the Echo Auto. Amazon does now have an official air vent mount listed for sale, as well as a replacement power adapter, for the Echo Auto. Hopefully, those, and the other indicators, mean we’re getting closer to a full release.
@AFTVnews
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I still have not seen my invite,,, Wish I would!!!
I signed up a while ago too. I guess my cars, Kia Optima and Honda Pilot are not ones they want to test out on. Oh well.
There was a notice saying that all request would be honored!
Yes i got that too , i saw the same message and i still have not received my invite
and i also was able to add it to my cart for 24.99 but when i try and check out it won’t let me
Amazon has not handled this well at all
But i am sure they will correct it though
i can not see them denying me if i call them to complain if i do not receive the invite for 24.99 , i have been waiting since the invite request 1st opened
Me too. Requested invite day 1 and still nothing.
never got that, who knows
@Robert,
if you go back to the Amazon Auto web page, it will reflect that you submitted the request and have a notice saying that all request will be honored.
I still have not been allowed to make the purchase yet either,, seems like its going awfully slow. maybe that means they are refining it as they set out each group of units.
I too requested an invite when it was first announced and haven’t seen anything except that temporary price hike.
I requested an invitation the very first day the put out information . I’m still waiting for my invitation as well .
The reviews I have seen of the Echo Auto do not impress me. Amazon does not want to sell me one so I purchased a Roav Viva by Anker. I am very impressed with the Roav. It’s a great device and I did not have to play games to get it. It was delivered in 2 days and with a purchase price of only $37.00
Actually right now as I am typing this, with $8.00 coupon on product page you can get Roav Viva with Alexa for 29.99
it was $25 last week on slickdeals
not sure if it still is
i heard some bad reports about it and i am unsure if it will have all the features the echo auto will
i was going to grab it but i figured i should wait
i think the price will drop even more once the echo auto is out
i do like the idea of having the charger since i don’t have fast charger
i also like the form factor of the roav viva better
assuming it will fit well in my car
I have been waiting for the Echo Auto so long and I became impatient. I had seen a few bad reviews when I was doing research but I am very happy with Viva, I have not had any problems once-so-ever but maybe I am just lucky. I wish you good luck on getting your invitation have a great day AR, if that is your real name LOL
Spotify does NOT work on Roav VIVA. MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR deal breaker for me.
I also have the Roav VIVA. I purchased it a year ago. I used it for a week and it now sits in the glove compartment. They “say” Spotify support will come out soon, but they’ve saying that for the past year.
And this is why competition in the free market is a good thing. The behemoth needs to be taken down a notch or two.
I got a VIVA ROAV from Amazon that has Alexa built in.
It plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter and works
through the ROAV and your cell phone Alexa App and
plays from the Amazon Music.
Right now Amazon has an $8 coupon off the $37.99 price.
https://amzn.to/2Up8lSc
I’m surprised it’s taken this long. I’ve been using Roav with Alexa built-in. It works perfectly except for the mic. You literally have to scream ‘ALEXA!’ or it doesn’t hear you, even though the device is close enough that I can touch it with my hand while driving.
I was hoping you could use one of these devices to check license plates for stolen vehicles. But apparently it’s difficult to get Alexa to recognize letters. Weird.
Not sure about the Viva ROAV but if it is anything like the Muse Auto, don’t bother. Actually now that I think about it… even the Amazon Echo Auto is probably going to be a failure, seeing that the Amazon Music App barely works as is… It’s impossible to “Search” my music collection in the App so guessing the Echo Auto will just piggyback the Amazon Music App and be just as bad. Something seeming so simple is apparently super hard to accomplish. I think using your phone as a mobile hotspot with a real Amazon Echo is probably still the best way to go.
I have been using a first generation Echo Dot in my car since not long after it was released in Oct of 2017. The only downside of the Dot is it takes a while (15-20 seconds or so) to connect to the internet. That is the main reason I am looking forward to the Echo Auto. It is supposed to connect almost instantaneously. But, otherwise, I have had Alexa functionality in my car for a very long time.
YYEEESSS!!! I finally received my invite this morning at 9am and placed my order instantly. I signed up back in September 2018 and have been waiting so long. I receive it tomorrow and cannot wait to start testing it.