Pandora announced that its full on-demand subscription tier can now be accessed via Amazon Alexa. Pandora Premium has added support for voice commands, meaning subscribers can issue commands to control playback for songs, stations, and playlists on Alexa-enabled devices. Continue Reading
Podcast company Acast announced the launch of an Alexa voice skill. This development allows listeners to start, pause, and skip their way through Acast’s programming lineup on Alexa-enabled devices. It will also encourage discovery, with podcast fans having the option to explore new shows through playlists curated by Acast. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio partnered with The CW to create a version of the network’s upcoming Charmed reboot for devices enabled with Amazon Alexa. When users ask their Alexa device to “open Charmed,” they’ll be asked a series of questions and trivia. Continue Reading
Amazon announced both new updates to its Alexa voice platform and new devices that will integrate the AI. The tech conglomerate has released new versions of its existing smart speakers Echo Dot, Echo Plus, and Echo Show. The new devices include the previously leaked Echo Sub and Amazon Smart Plug. Continue Reading
The Amazon Alexa voice assistant platform is coming to more and more gadgetry around the home. This week began with rumors of at least eight new Alexa devices to come before the year’s close, and the week is ending with a leak confirming two of them. Continue Reading
Amazon is reportedly preparing to take its streaming music service to a more public position. Bloomberg reports that the tech giant will be launching a multimedia campaign in support of its streaming service. Continue Reading
Amazon and Microsoft have integrated their digital assistants, which could open up new possibilities for cross-support of features and services outside of whatever hardware brand a user owns. Plans for an integration were announced last year, and the integration is just available as a preview in the U.S. right now. Continue Reading
Amazon released its second-quarter financial results, and the company continues to amass enormous windfalls from across its diverse range of products and services. Alexa was a key factor in the conglomerate’s business updates from the period, and will likely continue to be a focus in their financial success too. Continue Reading
Amazon is launching a feature called Alexa Cast that will allow smartphone controls for devices enabled with its voice-activated technology. That includes both speakers from its Echo product line as well as devices from other hardware companies that integrate Alexa. Continue Reading
So far, voice assistants are commonly used to access audio entertainment, but as the technology advances, the next step could involve commerce and shopping. Voicebot and Voysis have collaborated on a report pointing to the future of voice shopping. The analysis predicts that, due to the high rates of ownership (79.8%), many people will first be introduced to voice assistant shopping on smartphones. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio shared two audio announcements today. First, Matty Staudt has been promoted to the newly created position of vice president of podcast programming. The second announcement furthers ties between iHeartRadio and Amazon within the Alexa for Hospitality suite. Continue Reading
The Infinite Dial Canada looked at the uptake of smart speakers in the country, as well as pointing out some unique trends compared with the southern neighbors. In Canada, smart speaker ownership is 8% of the adult population. People aged 35-54 were most likely to own smart speakers at 11%, followed by ages 18-34 at 10%. Continue Reading