You no longer need a subscription just to make use of advanced AI on your Amazon streaming stick or TV set.Amazon is making Alexa+ available on Fire TV devices for free, saving you the expense of either a Prime or Alexa+ subscription.The upgrade is first rolling out to U.S.
customers with "compatible" devices, including Fire TV Sticks, the Fire TV Cube, Ember TVs, and third-party sets from brands like Hisense and Panasonic.More hardware and countries "may be added over time," Amazon says.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max Integrations Alexa Storage 16GB $60 at Amazon Expand Collapse You don't have to do anything to enable the newer technology.
As with rivals' AI updates, Alexa+ allows for more conversation-like control of both Fire TV content and smart home devices.You can ask follow-up questions about an actor or dim your lights for movie night without a stiff-sounding command.In theory, you spend less time looking at your phone or figuring out the exact language you need.
There are still incentives to subscribe to Prime or Alexa+, such as Alexa Routines and smart home automation.Prime starts at $15 per month ($139 per year), while Alexa+ starts at $20 per month.Why is Amazon making Alexa+ free on Fire TV? It has to keep up It seems odd for Amazon to make Alexa+ free on Fire TV when it's a potential subscription incentive.
However, there are some clear competitive reasons for Amazon to democratize its AI.All of Amazon's major competitors already have comparable AI for free or will soon.Android-based TVs started receiving Gemini last fall, while Roku upgraded its own voice assistant around the same time.
Apple is expected to bring its improved Siri AI to the Apple TV 4K as soon as this fall.Related Why your Fire TV feels slower every month (and how I fixed mine) Your Amazon Fire TV is going to get slower over time, but there is a way to make it fast gain, and it only requires a few minutes of time.Posts 3 By Jorge A.
Aguilar If Alexa+ continued to cost extra, it would be easier for some customers to switch to a different platform.While many Fire TV users have Prime subscriptions, that's not guaranteed.Free Alexa+ helps keep them buying Amazon hardware and might lead to a future membership, even if they're happy watching Netflix or Apple TV in the short term.
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