What you need to know
- Amazon has announced a redesign for the Alexa app.
- The new update brings a more personalized home screen and easier access to Alexa.
- It's expected to hit all Android devices by mid-August.
Amazon's Alexa app is getting a fresh coat of paint as the retail giant announces a redesign for mobile devices. This new update will arrive for both traditional Android and Amazon's Fire OS.
First, the new Alexa home screen will be more personalized and dynamic. It'll be edging more towards picking up from frequently accessed actions like listening to an eBook or continuing ongoing actions like controlling your music playback more than the static experience it is now. For new customers, the revamped home screen will show tips around Alexa and how to access Amazon's media services.
Amazon will also now add a new prominent Alexa button to increase engagement. Like with other smart assistants, you'll be able to tp this button to initiate commands. The hands-free assistant will still be there, this just speeds up the process if you prefer to be more hands-on.
Finally, Amazon has moved the more button to the bottom bar from the top right corner to accommodate our frankly massive phones. It's a small change, but one that should have been done far sooner.
Alexa isn't quite Siri or Google Assistant level, but it does make the experience of using Amazon's Echo speakers a little smoother. Amazon is bringing this redesign to the Alexa app over the next couple of weeks and plans to hit all devices by around mid-August.
Amazon Alexa
Amazon's Alexa app provides access to the eponymous digital assistant. It's also how the tool for managing Amazon's smart home devices and the Echo Buds.
- Free at Google Play (opens in new tab)
