In a major announcement during its annual fall event, Amazon has unveiled a significant update to its smart glasses, the Echo Frames. This marks the first major refresh for the Echo Frames in over two years, bringing substantial improvements to battery life and audio quality, along with a variety of new styles and colors.

The standout feature of the new Echo Frames is their impressive battery life. Users can now enjoy up to six hours of continuous media playback on a single charge. Additionally, Amazon has introduced seven new styles for both regular glasses and sunglasses, including two designs from renowned eyewear brand Carrera, which will be sold as “Carrera Smart Glasses.” Users can also choose between sunglasses, prescription lenses, or blue-light lenses. All versions of the Echo Frames are built to withstand water splashes with an IPX4 rating and are scratch-resistant.

One noticeable change in the new Echo Frames is their sleeker and less bulky design. Amazon has relocated much of the internal wiring from the front of the glasses to the temples, resulting in frames that are 15 percent slimmer. This redesign aims to make the Echo Frames blend in more seamlessly with conventional eyewear.

Audio quality has received a significant upgrade as well. Amazon claims that the new frames offer “more balanced sound, better audio clarity, and less distortion” thanks to a new speaker driver and an “open-ear audio architecture.” The glasses also feature improved onboard speech processing, enhancing their ability to recognize the wake word, even in challenging conditions such as windy environments or noisy rooms.

The new Echo Frames come with various software enhancements. Users can now pair the frames with up to two devices, allowing for seamless switching between different audio sources like smartphones and laptops. A new feature called VIP Filter has been introduced to prioritize important notifications, reducing distraction. Echo Frames owners can also use Alexa to locate their misplaced smart glasses by simply asking the assistant to “find my smart glasses.”

Pricing for the new Echo Frames starts at $269.99, while the Carrera Smart Glasses will be available for $389.99. Although the exact release date hasn’t been announced, interested buyers can sign up for notifications about pre-orders, ensuring they get their hands on these updated smart glasses when they become available.