Get ready to welcome the future of virtual assistants, because Alexa is about to get a massive upgrade with the launch of Alexa Plus! Set to roll out in March, Alexa Plus will be far more than just a speaker that plays music and turns your lights on and off. It’s about to become your very own personal assistant—only this one doesn’t need a coffee break.
Amazon has officially confirmed that Alexa Plus will be capable of performing a whole range of tasks we’ve only dreamed about. Imagine asking Alexa to not only order your groceries, but also make dinner reservations, book an Uber, and buy tickets to the latest concert when they go live on Ticketmaster. If you’re lucky enough to be a Prime member, all these upgrades will be available to you for free. For everyone else, you’ll pay a modest $20 a month, though let’s be real, Prime membership already gives you more than enough perks.
But Alexa Plus doesn’t just stop at booking tickets and ordering food—oh no. This new and improved Alexa is also set to remember things. Need to schedule a repair for that old washing machine? Alexa will find a place, book the appointment, and add it to your calendar. If your nephew’s coming over for dinner, she’ll remind you about his gluten-free diet. Talk about a personal assistant that’s really in the know!
Perhaps the coolest feature of Alexa Plus? She’ll be proactive. Imagine getting a heads-up from Alexa about heavy traffic before you even think about leaving the house, or getting a gentle reminder about an appointment you might have forgotten. The new Alexa aims to feel less like tech and more like an insightful friend that’s always looking out for you.
But here’s the catch: Not every device will be getting the upgrade right away. People with newer Echo Show devices (Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21) will get the first crack at Alexa Plus, and the rest of the Alexa-using world will follow shortly thereafter. So if you’ve got one of those older Echo speakers, it might be time to consider an upgrade.
Whether you’re a Prime member or just someone who loves the idea of a smarter home assistant, Alexa Plus is about to make your life a whole lot easier—so buckle up, it’s time for Alexa to level up!
(Amazon / AP / The Verge / ZDNet / CNN)
(Here’s a video. Google has been working on the same thing with their Gemini assistant. Apple also just gave Siri a big upgrade.)
