Though not yet on sale, Amazon Echo Look is getting different reactions from subscribers. It features a camera to capture full-body selfies and video which can be saved to create a personal look book. While it could boost someone’s self-esteem, others are worried about some privacy issues. Smart assistant Alexa now has eyes to see so it can give a verdict on the user’s outfit choices. It could even recommend what clothes to buy. According to Tech Crunch, it contains a depth sensor to create hands-free style selfies.
Privacy could be a big issue
Echo Look’s hardware could be used to get user’s full length, size, and fit.
Analysts think that it can become a virtual changing room in a not so distant future.
Zeynap Tufekci, the assistant professor at the University of North Carolina, said that with the information being handed to the Echo Look, Amazon would not just be able to sell clothes or even judge a person. It could even analyze different feelings or any health conditions. A user will be disclosing a lot of information and he considers it a privacy disaster.
Amazon has already announced that it will not share nor sell any personal information gathered from its users. Some believe this may be the case as the giant retail company is boosting its business as far as clothing retail.
Should one ask Alexa to be the fashion judge?
Fiona Blake, a Facebook page owner, is among those who find the positive side of Echo Look. She said that hundreds of women are sharing their outfit photos every day in the closed group. They offer support and advice to one another about their fashion concerns. She said that it is a real struggle for women to look in the mirror and take a photograph.
Amazon’s gadget is finally here to help.
Meanwhile, Donna McCulloch, a professional stylist from Sulky Doll stylists, believes that people should never rely on an app to tell them what to wear. If one is unsure about an outfit, then they should just trust their gut instinct and try a different look.
Amazon Echo Look may not appeal to all ages, according to Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight.
In an interview with BBC, he said that the younger generation may have a positive response to the new gadget. They are the ones who are regularly sharing on SnapChat and Instagram. The older generation might find the Amazon product irrelevant or even be regarded as a privacy concern.
The main limitation for the young ones would be the price. Amazon Echo Look is priced at $200, but its availability is listed as “by invitation only.” Moreover, it is also aimed at the United States market only.