Own an Echo Show or Alexa tablet? Alexa's new Home Map could transform how you control your smart home

It's been a busy week for Amazon, with a whole new range of Echo speakers launching alongside devices such as the Alexa Photo Frame and the Echo Show 16. Whilst some launches are limited to certain markets, there's one upcoming feature that smart home fans everywhere will want to know about, particularly if you've already built your setup around Alexa.

Alexa Home Map is a new way to visualise and manage your entire smart home in one place. It creates an interactive 3D map of your property, showing exactly where your connected devices are located. Rather than jumping between menus or apps, you can simply tap a device on the map to access its main controls.

Alexa Home Map is expected to begin rolling out in preview later this year through the Alexa Home Map app on iOS, the Alexa and Ring apps, larger Echo Show devices, the Amazon Ember Artline with Fire TV and the new Alexa Tablets. Amazon hasn't confirmed that Alexa Home Map will be limited to a single market, so we're hopeful that users in both the US and UK will get access.

I think this could be particularly useful if, like me, you've accumulated smart home devices from different brands and are tired of switching between apps to control them. It's also ideal if you don't like using voice commands, as you won't need to remember device names or worry about Alexa misinterpreting what you're asking for.

To get started, you add your home address, which automatically brings up the exterior of your property, before walking around and scanning each room using a compatible iPhone. You can then place your connected devices in their corresponding locations on the map.

Once set up, you'll be able to explore your home virtually, zoom into individual rooms, switch between floors and filter devices by category.

Another particularly interesting feature is its integration with Ring cameras. The map can display live animations of people and vehicles moving around your property, so you'll be able to see when a delivery driver approaches your front door or a car pulls into the driveway. It also works with Ring's Familiar Faces feature, helping you recognise who's arriving home.