Amazon is working on Alexa for Apps , a new feature that will allow the voice assistant to run applications on both iOS and Android. An option with which you can better compete against Siri and Google Assistant, which offer better integration by being the native voice assistants of each operating system. What’s more, I could overcome them if the experience is good.
Alexa will gain integration on iOS and Android
Amazon has celebrated its Alexa Live , an event in which they have updated us on how their voice assistant is evolving and the plans they have for the future. In it they have shown different novelties and among all of them one has drawn attention in a special way.
Alexa for Apps is a new skill that will allow greater integration on both iOS and Android. Thanks to this, Amazon’s voice assistant will be able to launch applications. This is something that Siri and Google Assistant already allow on iOS and Android as it is the native assistant of the respective systems, but with Alexa it did not happen.
Therefore, with this development, the company will not only compete better, but can gain more ground as the most independent voice assistant . And it is that from the beginning that has been the great objective of Amazon, which saw how its Android fork did not succeed, to make the experience identical regardless of what device Alexa is running on.
If you have used Alexa, you will agree that this is practically the case. One of the reasons why many users bet on it is that regardless of the operating system the experience of use is very satisfactory. Both on Mac and Windows, iOS, Android or other devices with integrated Alexa you can do the same in a very simple way.
All this plus the great support that it offers at the compatible device level and price in home automation issues, make Alexa very worthwhile if you are attracted to all the possibilities that a voice assistant is capable of offering.
At the moment, the development of Alexa for Apps is being carried out with a group of selected developers , with whom the company works to offer an optimal experience. As everything progresses they will give additional details and we can see if you can do things like tell them to open, for example, Twitter and search for a specific hashtag . Or start the Instagram app and start recording a story.
Of course, we hope that neither Google nor Apple set limits with changes in their operating systems. Something that if it does not violate the privacy and security of the user should not occur, but we will see it over time.
Other news for Alexa to come
Along with this function, the company has presented thirty additional novelties focused on the use of Alexa. They are all looking for the same thing, giving the assistant greater potential. For this they are betting on the use of different technologies such as the use of neural networks for a more natural conversation , the use of HTML5 for richer interactions , etc. Also improvements for other devices that integrate Alexa such as the Echo Auto or Echo Buds.
In summary, Alexa continues to grow and all these developments point to a future that will also help Apple and Google to get even more excited about their respective proposals. Something that we do not doubt they are already doing, but if you have tried the three virtual assistants, it is very likely that you think like us: Alexa offers a better experience in practically every way. In addition to other advantages that face the configuration of accessories from outside the home by less expert users, they are much more friendly.
