Tags: Alexa+

Amazon is extending its next‑generation Alexa+ platform to BMW vehicles, allowing the automaker to enhance its Intelligent Personal Assistant with more natural, conversational capabilities. The integration builds on the existing Alexa Custom Assistant framework that BMW already uses, and will tap into a range of large language models to handle complex driver requests. The rollout will begin with select BMW models, though specific timing and model details have not been disclosed. Read more

Amazon has expanded its Alexa+ artificial intelligence assistant to the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android. The new integration lets users converse with the AI to create custom playlists, request nuanced music selections, and get answers to music‑related questions. Early‑access customers can activate Alexa+ with a tap and explore its AI DJ, playlist curator, and music encyclopedia capabilities across all subscription tiers. Amazon reports that users explore music three times more with Alexa+ and listen to nearly 70% more music when they search for recommendations, indicating strong early engagement. Read more

Amazon has rolled out Alexa+, its AI‑powered assistant, within the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android. The feature is available to all subscription tiers but requires early‑access enrollment. Alexa+ enables conversational music discovery, letting users ask detailed questions about artists, lyrics, or movie placements, and it can generate personalized playlists on request. Early users report deeper engagement, exploring songs more frequently and listening to more recommendations. The launch positions Amazon Music against competing AI‑enhanced streaming services and showcases the company’s broader AI ambitions. Read more

Amazon has launched Alexa+ as an early‑access AI assistant embedded in the Amazon Music app for iOS and Android. Users can tap an "A" button to ask natural‑language questions about songs, lyrics, moods, eras, and more, and receive conversational responses that help refine searches. The feature also supports playlist creation, music‑related queries, and integrates with a range of Amazon devices, including Echo Studio, Ring, Kindle, and the new Vega smart TV platform. While currently in early access for all Amazon Music tiers, the service will eventually become free for Prime members and cost $20 per month for non‑Prime users. Read more

Amazon introduced the Echo Dot Max as part of its new Alexa+ lineup, touting 360-degree spatial audio, a three‑fold bass boost, and Dolby Atmos support. Reviewers praised the powerful sound and distinctive design, likening it to a futuristic Death Star. However, they also highlighted gaps, including the absence of ambient lighting, a small smart display, and a broader color palette, features that competitors have begun to offer. While the speaker sets a new benchmark for audio performance in the Echo family, its lack of these lifestyle enhancements leaves room for future iterations. Read more

Google has unveiled its first new smart speaker in five years, the Google Home Speaker, built around the Gemini AI platform. Amazon counters with the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio, both powered by Alexa+. The three devices share upgraded sound systems and spatial audio designs, but differ in pricing, availability, and AI subscription models. While Google’s speaker will launch in spring 2026, Amazon’s models are already available for pre‑order. Both companies position their devices as the next step in AI‑enhanced home audio, leaving consumers to weigh sound quality against subscription costs and ecosystem lock‑in. Read more

Amazon announced a slate of new hardware at its recent event, including refreshed Echo speakers and displays equipped with the Alexa+ large‑language‑model upgrade, three new Kindle Scribe tablets—one featuring a color screen—and a range of Fire TV models powered by the new Vega operating system. The company also introduced Ring cameras with Retinal 2K and 4K imaging and new Blink cameras that add 2K resolution and a Blink Arc accessory for 180‑degree coverage. Enhanced features such as Familiar Faces, Alexa+ Greetings, and Search Party aim to improve security and convenience for users. Read more

Amazon introduced a new line of Echo smart speakers, Echo Show displays, and other devices built specifically for the Alexa+ platform. The hardware incorporates the AZ3 and AZ3 Pro AI chips, a 13MP camera on the Echo Show, and a sensor‑fusion system called Omnisense that leverages Wi‑Fi radar and ultrasonic detection. Audio engineering advances include a full‑enclosure speaker design for the Echo Dot Max. While the rollout highlights major upgrades, the company did not announce new wearables at the event. Read more

Amazon introduced refreshed versions of its Echo Show line, the Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11, featuring slimmer screens, a woven mesh base, upgraded speakers, and a new 13‑megapixel camera with auto‑framing. Both models run the VegaOS platform and are powered by the AZ3 Pro chip. They are offered in Glacier White and Graphite, priced at $179.99 for the 8‑inch model and $219.99 for the 11‑inch model, with preorder available and shipping slated to begin on November 12, 2025. The devices support Alexa+, free for Prime members or $20 per month for non‑members. Read more

Amazon’s latest fall showcase highlighted a wave of new and upgraded hardware centered on its Alexa+ AI assistant. The lineup includes powerful Echo speakers and displays that run Alexa+ locally, Fire TV devices with AI‑driven scene search, a Kindle Scribe equipped with handwriting‑aware AI tools, and Ring doorbells that can greet visitors and recognize familiar faces. Across the portfolio, Amazon is weaving deeper conversational memory, proactive task handling and on‑device processing to make its ecosystem feel more intuitive and integrated. Read more

Amazon announced at its fall hardware event that the upgraded AI assistant, Alexa+, will be integrated across its latest Fire TV devices. The enhancement lets users ask more complex questions, receive tailored recommendations, and access real‑time information while streaming. The rollout coincides with a refreshed lineup that includes the Fire TV 2‑Series, 4‑Series, Omni QLED TVs and a new Fire TV 4K Select streaming stick. Amazon highlighted advanced features such as scene‑search, live‑sport stats, and a richer on‑screen interface, positioning the launch as a major step forward for AI‑driven home entertainment. Read more

Amazon announced a fresh lineup of Ring security devices that debut 4K retinal vision, a ten‑times zoom, and improved low‑light performance. The series—Outdoor Cam Pro, Spotlight Cam Pro, Wired Doorbell Pro, and Floodlight Cam Pro—adds Alexa+ capabilities such as Familiar Faces, which reduces alerts for known visitors, and Search Party, an AI‑driven tool to help locate missing pets through neighboring Ring cameras. Amazon also introduced Power over Ethernet (PoE) variants for the Spotlight Cam Pro, Outdoor Cam Pro, and Wired Doorbell Elite, expanding connectivity options for users seeking wired installations. Read more

At its Devices and Services event, Amazon unveiled a suite of Alexa+ updates across its ecosystem. Ring’s new 2K and 4K devices will gain Alexa+ Greetings, letting the assistant recognize friends, family, and strangers. Alexa+ is embedded in Vega, Amazon’s new smart‑TV operating system, enabling personalized content searches and scene‑specific queries. Kindle users will soon converse with Alexa+ about notes and documents stored on Kindle devices. The refreshed 2025 Echo lineup ships with new AZ3 and AZ3 Pro chips for faster voice processing, and a growing roster of third‑party partners appears in the Alexa+ Store. A new shopping widget expands purchase tracking, and the updated devices are slated for release in October and November. Read more

Amazon unveiled a fresh range of Fire TV hardware, highlighting the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, billed as the fastest streaming stick under $40. The lineup also includes the premium Fire TV Omni QLED Series starting at $480, and updated 2-series and 4-series models priced from $160 to $330. New features such as Dialog Boost, Omnisense auto‑on, and a Linux‑based Vega OS for the stick aim to improve user experience while encouraging adoption of Amazon’s Alexa+ subscription service. Read more

Amazon announced a revamped Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 11 at an invite‑only Devices and Services event in New York City. The new smart displays feature custom silicon, advanced sensors, improved microphones, and 13‑megapixel cameras, and are built around the AI‑enhanced Alexa+ service. Alexa+ offers more conversational interactions and memory of prior chats, and is available free to Prime members or for a monthly fee for non‑Prime users. The redesign aims to blend the devices into home environments while delivering higher‑quality audio and visual experiences. Read more

Amazon is set to host its annual fall hardware event on Tuesday, September 30, at 10 AM ET in New York City. While the event will not be livestreamed, Engadget staff will attend and provide liveblog coverage. The showcase is expected to highlight new hardware and software updates across Amazon’s product lines, including the Alexa+ generative‑AI platform, the Echo smart speakers, the Kindle e‑readers, Fire TV, and devices from Ring and Eero. Discounts on existing devices are already underway, setting the stage for upcoming Prime Day deals. Read more

This week’s tech round‑up highlighted Meta’s Connect event, where the company introduced new Ray‑Ban and Oakley smart glasses featuring full‑color displays and athlete‑focused features. Soundpeats announced the H3 earbuds, delivering high‑end audio specs at a mid‑range price. DJI unveiled the Mini 5 Pro drone, packing a 1‑inch sensor into a sub‑250‑gram frame. Apple rolled out the iPhone 17 with ProMotion, an A19 chip, and the iOS 26 operating system, while Amazon hinted at a large hardware launch later in the month. The coverage also noted updates to Meta’s Quest platform and Horizon development tools. Read more

Amazon has sent invitations for a high‑profile hardware launch slated for September 30 in New York City. The teaser hints at new Echo speakers, a refreshed Kindle line, updated Echo Buds, and possible additions to the Fire TV and Echo Auto families. Attendees can expect a showcase of devices that integrate the latest Alexa+ features and other upgrades across Amazon’s consumer tech ecosystem. Read more