All articles tagged with #alexa
Reuters reports Amazon’s Devices & Services unit is developing Transformer, a smartphone centered on Alexa+ AI and shopping, with unknown price, OS, and launch date; after the Fire Phone flop, experts doubt the device can break into a crowded market dominated by Apple and Samsung, and privacy concerns loom over data collection, though a generative UI and Panos Panay’s leadership could shape the project.
Amazon is reportedly developing a smartphone centered on its Alexa AI, code-named Transformer, with the ZeroOne team led by J Allard exploring both smartphone and “dumbphone” designs and drawing inspiration from the minimalist Light Phone; the device may rely on AI-powered mini apps instead of a full app store, but there’s no timeline or price yet.
Amazon launches Alexa+ in the UK on March 19 via an Early Access program, bringing Europe’s first next‑gen generative‑AI assistant that is ambient, highly conversational, and capable of completing tasks across services; it’s free during Early Access, then £19.99/month for non‑Prime users (Prime members stay free); the UK version is tailored with British phrases and partners (OpenTable, JustEat, Treatwell) and works across Echo devices, Fire TV, with invitations expected to reach hundreds of thousands, and privacy controls are provided in the Alexa Privacy dashboard.
Amazon is rolling out Alexa+ in the UK, upgrading Alexa to be more conversational and proactive by following threads. The upgrade will be free for Prime members or £19.99/month; new Echo devices get it immediately, older devices must sign up online. The change aims to revive a stagnating Echo and compete with Google Gemini for Home. It could also give Amazon more user data for targeted ads, with UK usage already showing about 114 billion interactions since 2023 (roughly 1,500 interactions per person).
Engadget reports Amazon unveiled a new 'sassy' Alexa+ personality reserved for adults that will, from time to time, utter censored curses. Activation requires opting into the adult mode and completing extra security checks, and it won’t work if an Amazon Kids profile is enabled. Amazon says the mode blends unfiltered personality with wit and safeguards against hate speech or harm, but it’s unclear how the censoring works and when broader rollout may occur.
The piece speculates that OpenAI is pursuing a first hardware device—a voice-first smart speaker with camera features, potentially priced around $200–$300, and possibly developed with LoveFrom—aimed at challenging Alexa and extending OpenAI’s omnichannel AI capabilities into the home; it suggests a possible collaboration with Amazon while highlighting the broader race among Apple, Google, and Meta in smart home devices.
Amazon’s Fire TV is rolling out a free UI redesign in the US, featuring rounded visuals, faster interactions (claimed 20–30% quicker), and more visible apps (up to 20 pinned on the home screen); it also integrates Alexa+ AI for viewing suggestions and queue management.
An Echo privacy guide warns that default settings enable extensive data collection, including Amazon Sidewalk, indefinite storage of voice recordings, and optional human review to improve Alexa. To protect privacy, opt out of Sidewalk, set voice recordings to auto-delete after three months, disable the "Help Improve Alexa" feature, restrict Drop In to your household or turn it off, and regularly delete your sound history to minimize data exposure.
Verge reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy says Amazon’s Alexa app redesign centers the Alexa Plus AI but makes the shopping list cluttered and fiddly, forcing more taps and exposing ads, leading her to switch to Apple’s Reminders and Siri; Amazon says the changes included test features and aims to make Alexa a generalist AI assistant.
Amazon has made Alexa+ free for all US Prime members as of February 4, 2026, upgrading Alexa to a generative AI-powered assistant with long-context conversations, proactive, multi-step task support, and deep smart-home integration. Prime members receive unlimited access across Echo devices, the mobile app, and browser use, while non-Prime users can access a limited free text-chat tier or pay $19.99/month for unlimited access.
Amazon’s Alexa+ is rolling out nationwide in the US as a $20/month standalone option, with a free text-based chat tier for non-Prime members to try. Prime members can upgrade by voice or on Alexa.com, and a 30-day Prime trial is available. Alexa+ expands conversations with agentic features like scheduling, reservations, and smarter smart-home control, and it’s aimed at nudging more users toward Prime, which costs less than Alexa+ on its own. The free tier has usage limits.
Amazon says Alexa+ is now available in the U.S. as a free Prime member benefit, giving Prime households unlimited access to the full Alexa+ feature set across Alexa-enabled devices, Alexa.com, and the Alexa app; non-Prime users can try a free Alexa+ chat experience, and a separate unlimited plan costs $19.99 per month. Powered by a new AI architecture from Amazon Nova and Anthropic, Alexa+ can manage tasks, schedules, reservations, shopping, and home automation across devices, with memory of past interactions and deeper conversations across platforms.
The article presents 16 practical uses for Alexa in the home, from lighting and multi-room routines to finding a lost phone, using Echo devices as a landline, prompting kids, tracking packages, and acting as an intercom or white-noise machine. It highlights how routines can streamline daily tasks, support busy families, and even assist with emergencies. While many features work without subscriptions, some enhancements (like Alexa Emergency Assist and certain Kids+ options) require paid plans.
Amazon is positioning Alexa+ as a memory-enabled assistant that can recall context across devices and act in the real world, such as suggesting and booking restaurants or pre-loading options after a user request. By expanding access via a new Alexa.com browser integration and wearables like Echo Frames, Amazon aims to move Alexa beyond home use and close the gap with ChatGPT and Gemini, while emphasizing user privacy controls.
Amazon has begun automatically upgrading Prime members’ Echo devices to Alexa Plus. The upgrade isn’t opt-in, but users can revert to the original Alexa; there’s no option to opt out of getting upgraded. Alexa Plus is an AI-powered overhaul aimed at competing with Gemini, with some users reporting ads or slower responses after the change.