Amazon's AI-powered Alexa+ launches next month, but when will it come to the UK?
It may be late to the party, but Amazon has finally unveiled Alexa+, a new and improved version of its virtual assistant. Stuffed with generative AI-powered features, it promises to be smarter, more conversational, and better able to take real-world actions on your requests.
Despite having one of the most widely used voice assistants, the tech giant has been slower to embrace the generative AI boom compared to rivals. But at an event in New York, Amazon revealed Alexa+ – a 'completely rearchitected' version designed to be a more intelligent personal assistant.
Rolling out next month in the US, Alexa+ will work with almost all Amazon Echo devices and come with a subscription fee – unless you're an Amazon Prime member, in which case it's free. The only question is: when will it arrive in the UK? Here's everything you need to know about the upgraded Alexa.
What is Amazon Alexa+?
Alexa+ is Amazon's all-singing, all-dancing AI-powered upgrade, designed to work more seamlessly across different apps and services to help users with everyday tasks.
According to Amazon, Alexa+ will now be able to make purchases, book reservations, add details to calendars and even text those with the details. The assistant is also more conversational, picking up on context and follow-up questions with greater accuracy. Users can even ask Alexa to remember personal details – such as food preferences – and suggest meal ideas accordingly.
There are two major new features worth noting. First, Alexa+ now supports file uploads, including large documents. Users can ask it to summarise key details, set reminders or add important dates to their calendar. Second, Amazon has introduced AI agent capabilities, meaning Alexa+ can carry out tasks autonomously. It can now browse the web and interact with Amazon partners' websites to make purchases, book appointments or schedule services.
Alexa+ is powered by a mix of AI and large language models, with Amazon's Bedrock service dynamically selecting the best model for each task. Among these is Nova, Amazon's latest in-house AI, alongside technology from Anthropic, the creators of the Claude chatbot.
Amazon Alexa+ release date: When can you get Alexa+ in the UK?
Amazon has announced that Alexa+ will begin rolling out in the US in the coming weeks, starting with an early access period. This initial phase will only be available for screen-enabled Echo devices, specifically the Echo Show 8, 10, 15 and the newly announced Echo Show 21. These users will receive notifications via email and device alerts once access is granted.
But what about users in the UK? Amazon hasn't given any indication on when the UK will get Alexa+, but we know it will be released sometime in 2025. 'The service will begin expanding to additional countries later this year,' an Amazon spokesperson told The Independent. 'We're just getting started and we'll be excited to share more information close to launch in UK.'
Amazon Alexa+ price: How much does Amazon Alexa+ cost?
In the US, Amazon Prime members will get Alexa+ for free when it launches next month. However, non-Prime users will need to pay a $19.99 monthly subscription fee to access the new AI-powered features. This is comparable to price of ChatGPT+. If Alexa+ has the same pricing model as ChatGPT+, then it could also cost £19.99 in the UK when it launches.
Best Amazon Echo devices
The Amazon Echo Show 8 is one of the screen-based Alexa devices that will be getting Alexa+ at launch. The third-generation Echo Show 8 smart home hub features a bright, 8in touchscreen display with stereo speakers, a 13MP camera for video calls, a faster processor and new smart features. The main difference between this model at the second-generation Echo Show 8 is in the introduction of support for the latest smart home wireless standards, meaning better integration with a wider range of compatible bulbs, thermostats, doorbells and other devices.
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