Amazon Echo (4th Gen)
by Amazon · October 2020
The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) is a spherical smart speaker with premium Dolby audio, a built-in Zigbee smart home hub, temperature sensor, and eero mesh Wi-Fi support. Powered by Alexa, it handles voice commands, music playback, smart home control, and routines. The AZ1 Neural Edge processor enables faster on-device speech processing.
Capabilities
Specifications
Physical
Sensing & Perception
Computing & AI
Connectivity
Other
Pricing and Availability
This robot is currently available for purchase from the manufacturer or authorized retailers.
AI, Data & Privacy
Caution - data processed in the United States
This robot sends data to cloud servers in the United States. For EU residents, this means personal data is transferred outside the EU. While some companies use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or other legal mechanisms to comply with GDPR for transatlantic transfers, the data is not under direct EU jurisdiction. EU residents should review the manufacturer's Data Processing Agreement and privacy policy carefully.
How to keep it private
Basic Bluetooth speaker functionality works offline. All Alexa features require active internet connection. The AZ1 chip handles initial wake word detection on-device, but all command processing happens in the cloud.
Available privacy controls
Physical button on top electrically disconnects the microphone array and shows a red LED indicator
Set automatic deletion of voice recordings after 3 months or 18 months in the Alexa app privacy settings
Disable "Help improve Alexa" in Settings to prevent Amazon employees from reviewing your voice recordings
Say "Alexa, delete everything I said today" or manage recordings in the Alexa Privacy Hub
Enable auto-delete of voice recordings (3-month option recommended) and disable "Help improve Alexa" to prevent human review of your recordings. Use the physical mic mute button when not actively using Alexa. Review and delete voice history regularly in the Alexa app. Note that Amazon retains some data even after deletion for service improvement purposes. Not ideal for EU users as there is no EU-specific data processing option.
What this means for EU residents
Voice recordings are processed and stored on Amazon AWS servers in the US. Voice history can be reviewed and deleted in the Alexa app. Auto-delete options available for 3-month or 18-month rolling deletion. Amazon employees may review anonymized voice recordings to improve Alexa unless you opt out.
What the AI can do 8 capabilities
Security features 3 features
- encrypted-in-transit
- mic-mute-button
- wake-word-only-listening
Configurability details App Only
Alexa app and Alexa Skills Kit for routines, smart home control, and third-party skills. No direct SDK access to the Echo hardware. Alexa voice interaction model is cloud-dependent.
Research notice
The information above is compiled from manufacturer documentation, published privacy policies, independent security research, and community findings as of the dates listed in our sources. AI capabilities, privacy features, and data handling practices may change with firmware updates or policy revisions. We make every effort to be accurate, but errors are possible. Always do your own research before purchasing. Check the manufacturer's latest privacy policy and terms of service directly for the most current information.
Sources
All information on this page is based on the following sources. Links open in a new tab.
- Amazon Echo (4th Gen) Product Page - accessed 2026-03-29
- Amazon Alexa Privacy Settings - accessed 2026-03-29
- Amazon Device Terms of Use - accessed 2026-03-29