Amazon has revealed that a whopping 97% of the smart devices it has ever shipped are compatible with its upgraded AI assistant, Alexa+. This announcement highlights Amazon’s commitment to broadening its AI ecosystem and ensuring that advanced assistant features are within reach for most of its users.
Since Amazon introduced its first Echo speaker, the company has sold hundreds of millions of Alexa-enabled devices around the globe, including smart speakers, displays, and various other connected gadgets. They emphasize that nearly all these devices can receive the Alexa+ upgrade through software updates. This really shows Amazon’s dedication to backward compatibility, making sure users do not have to buy new hardware just to enjoy the latest AI features.
Alexa+ marks a significant leap forward from the original voice assistant. It brings together more natural and expressive synthetic voices with the power of generative AI, enabling users to tackle multi-step tasks like planning schedules, creating reports, coordinating smart home devices, and managing their daily routines. Plus, the assistant now offers broader access to information and a better grasp of context, making conversations feel more engaging and helpful.
Amazon has rolled out some exciting updates to how users engage with Alexa+. They have revamped the mobile app and web interface, making it possible to have chat-style interactions in addition to the usual voice commands. Plus, the company is busy integrating Alexa+ with a growing list of third-party devices and services think smart TVs, appliances, cars, and wearables so that the assistant can smoothly fit into various parts of your everyday life.
Even though there is a wide range of compatibility, a few older devices still cannot keep up, highlighting the difficulties of adding advanced AI features to older hardware. On the bright side, Amazon points out that a large portion of its existing users can now enjoy the upgraded assistant, which gives it a strong advantage in the market for AI-powered smart devices.
Amazon is putting a strong focus on rolling out Alexa+ for its Prime members first, with plans to gradually make it available to everyone else. By tapping into its large user base and vast hardware presence, Amazon aims to position Alexa+ as a serious contender against other leading AI assistants, all while delivering a unique blend of voice-first convenience and cutting-edge generative AI capabilities.
