Amazon Unveils Alexa Plus at Devices and Services Event
TechRadar is live-blogging Amazon’s Devices and Services event, reporting on the latest news about the tech giant’s smart home ecosystem.
This is a big make-or-break AI moment for Amazon, and with minutes to go I’m sure a fair few Amazon staff are getting hot under the collar.
Alexa Plus: A Subscription-Based Upgrade
The biggest headline from the event is the introduction of Alexa Plus, a new, subscription-based tier for the voice assistant. The service will cost $19.99 per month, but will be free for Prime members. Early access is expected to roll out next month in waves, with priority given to households with an Echo Show device.
New Features Highlighted
Key features of Alexa Plus include:
- Personalized Media Recommendations: Based on mood and preferences.
- Improved Music Control: Including the ability to specify which side of a room to play music, or apply settings that prevent disturbing a sleeping baby.
- Memory and Context: Alexa will store and remember information, such as dietary restrictions, for use in future interactions.
- Enhanced Integration: New integrations with third-party services like Amazon Fresh, Suno, Uber, and OpenTable.
- Improved Interactions with Ring Cameras: Including the ability to scrub through movies to specific scenes on request.
- Family-Friendly Features: Including a dedicated storytime mode for children.
- Alexa.com: Access your voice assistant on any device with a web browser.
The Future of Smart Home Management
Mara Segal, Director of Product Management – AI Services at Amazon, demonstrated how Alexa Plus can enhance productivity around the home. By storing and recalling information, like HOA documentation, Alexa Plus aims to streamline household management.
Panos Panay speaking at the event.
Alexa’s Personality and Tone
Amazon is leaning into Alexa’s personality, adding features like emotional intelligence, humor, and improved understanding. The updated voice assistant will reportedly check user’s tone of voice, and will try to calm them if necessary.
What Was Missing?
Notably absent from the event was any major hardware updates for the Amazon Echo speaker line. While there were several mentions of the Echo Show, there was no announcements regarding new Echo speakers, and an upgrade to Alexa’s voice was also not announced, leaving some long-term users feeling slightly disappointed.
Technical Aspects
Daniel Rausch discussed the AI models behind Alexa Plus, including Anthropic’s models and also Amazon’s own Nova models. The features seen at the event will be processed in the cloud and by expert sources such as TechRadar.
Overall, the event showcased Amazon’s continued investment in AI and its commitment to expanding the capabilities of Alexa in the smart home.
