Amazon has been testing Alexa+ since February 2025, and says it offers a smarter, more personalized, and more proactive assistant experience. The company says Alexa+ is much more capable than the prior version of Alexa, thanks to its updated architecture that uses large language models from Amazon Nova and Anthropic.
Alexa+ can do things like order takeaway, make restaurant reservations, book rides, and schedule home repairs. It can also control smart home products and answer questions similar to other chatbots. It works with Amazon services, and can integrate with hardware like Ring cameras. U.K. launch partners include OpenTable, with JustEat and Treatwell coming soon.
Amazon says the update should feel "genuinely British." For example, it knows what a "cuppa" is, will understand what you mean when you say you are "knackered," and knows that "it's nippy" means it's chilly outside. It may even drop "you're taking the mickey" or "Bob's your uncle" into conversation, says Amazon. Local teams including engineers, linguists, and speech scientists at Amazon's tech hub in Cambridge are said to have worked on the British localization.
Customers who purchase a new eligible Echo device in the U.K. will be granted Early Access, while customers who already have a compatible device can register to receive an invite. Alexa+ works on the majority of Echo devices, compatible Fire TV devices, and the Alexa app, with web browser support coming soon.
The service is available at no additional cost during the early access period, though Amazon hasn't said how long it will last. Whenever it does end, Alexa+ will cost £19.99 per month, or come free with an Amazon Prime membership.
This article, "Amazon's Alexa+ Arrives in the UK, Free During Early Access" first appeared on MacRumors.com
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