Alexa users warned huge new features ‘delayed’ as mega speaker upgrade starts rolling out
ALEXA users have been warned that some sparkly new features in Amazon’s blockbuster Alexa+ upgrade won’t be immediately available.
The launch of the features has reportedly been delayed for not meeting Amazon’s standards for public release.
Alexa+, Amazon’s new-and-improved voice assistant, began rolling out to eligible devices this week.
The tech giant has injected Alexa with a dose of generative AI, making the bot smarter and able to talk to users in a conversational way.
It should be able to remember your likes and dislikes and respond to emotion in your voice.
New features include being able to order an Uber through Alexa+, or be given advice on what to cook.
But some new capabilities won’t be available until two months after this week’s launch, the Washington Post reported, citing leaked internal company documents.
That reportedly includes the ability for Alexa+ to visually recognise family members and remind them to do specific chores, like walking the dog.
A US-only feature that lets users order food on Grubhub based on a conversation with Alexa+ about what you’re craving has also been delayed, according to the report.
Other Alexa+ features, like brainstorming a gift idea or generating a bedtime story for children, won’t be released until later either, the Post reported.
Some features may take even longer to land on devices, internal documents revealed.
One feature that has landed this week may also cause a stir with customers.
Alexa+’s ability to read and summarise uploaded documents like legal contracts, manuals or multiple emails reportedly doesn’t offer users the ability to delete the information afterwards.
If users try to delete any of the files they upload to Alexa+, they’ll get an error message saying: “deletion of attachments is not yet supported.”
Amazon staff can help customers delete the files, but must inform them that the process won’t erase all of the associated data.
Internal documents reportedly detailed how staff have been advised not to tell users “this will permanently delete the file” or that “no one in your home will be able to find the information from the file.”
Can I use Alexa+?
Only newer Echo Show models, such as the Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21 smart display, will be able to access Alexa+ for now.
Other devices like the Fire TV and Echo Spot alarm clock will have to wait – while older Amazon gadgets won’t receive it at all.
Alexa+ will be available for chatting on the web at Alexa.com, but a feature known internally as Metis will not be launching this week, documents also revealed.
Project Metis is reportedly a new web-based chatbot designed to compete with AI heavyweights like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
For now, Amazon is offering the Alexa+ upgrade for free.
However, the company is mulling plans to introduce a $5 to $10 subscription fee for the service in future.
What is Alexa?
If you've never heard of Alexa, here's what you need to know...
- Alexa is an “intelligent” personal assistant built by Amazon.
- You can find her on several different devices, including Amazon’s Echo speakers.
- Alexa responds to voice commands, and can talk back to you.
- She can perform thousands of different tasks, including telling you about the news or weather.
- But she can do more complex things too, like ordering a pizza or arranging an Uber taxi pick-up.
- To activate Alexa, you need to say “Alexa” to an Amazon Echo speaker.
- Because she’s powered by artificial intelligence, Alexa is constantly getting smarter.
- Alexa will also get more used to your voice, and better understand what you want her to do over time.