Amazon

Amazon's Alexa assistant will soon be able to open Android and iOS apps using voice commands, thanks to a new feature called Alexa for Apps that Amazon is launching for app developers as of today. With Alexa for Apps, iPhone and Android users can make requests using the Alexa app, Alexa built-in phones, or Alexa accessories like Echo Buds and interact directly with mobile apps similar to Siri...

Amazon is making it possible to use Alexa "hands free" from within its Alexa mobile app for iOS, reports TechCrunch. Up until now, you had to tap the blue Alexa button at the bottom of the screen before you could issue a voice command. After updating the app, users will be able to simply speak to Alexa to make lists, control smart home devices, and more, without having to touch their iPh...

The Amazon Prime Video apps for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV now allow customers to purchase and rent movies and TV shows within the app, and Apple appears to be allowing Amazon to use its own payment system, skirting the traditional in-app purchase screens. Opening up the Prime Video app now includes the message "Browse, rent, or buy new release movies, popular TV shows, and more -- now...

Amazon's Echo speakers continue to be the most popular smart speakers in the United States, and will remain in the dominant spot through at least 2021, according to new smart speaker user estimates shared today by eMarketer (via TechCrunch). An estimated 69.7 percent of U.S. smart speaker users will use an Amazon Echo product in 2020, a number that's down slightly from the estimated 72.9...

Amazon is no longer selling new versions of the Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5 models through its online store in the United States, with the listings disappearing earlier today. There is no word on why Amazon has pulled Apple Watch Series 4 and Series 5 models, but these are the Apple Watches that feature ECG functionality. All models, capacities, and colors are missing from Amazon's...

Amazon today announced that Amazon Music users without an Amazon Prime membership or a subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited can listen to an ad-supported selection of playlists and radio stations for free on iOS devices. Amazon has been offering free music access on its Echo devices, but is today expanding that access to the iPhone and iPad along with Android and Fire TV devices. Free Amazon ...

Following in the footsteps of Roku, Amazon today announced that the Apple TV app is now available on select Fire TV devices, including the second-generation Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K, and the Fire TV Stick Basic Edition. Available through the Amazon Appstore, the Apple TV app allows users to access their iTunes libraries of movies and TV shows and the Apple TV Channels feature...

Amazon Music today expanded to the Apple TV, and a new Amazon Music app is now available for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. Amazon says that ‌Apple TV‌ owners can now download the Amazon Music app from the tvOS App Store to get access to millions of songs and thousands of playlists and stations. Amazon Music listeners on the ‌Apple TV‌ are also able to browse and search...

Amazon Prime Video is currently unavailable in the App Store across iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. Amazon had updated the iOS version of the app shortly before it was removed from the App Store, but it is unclear why the app was pulled or whether this is a temporary move. Apple deferred comment to Amazon, which has yet to respond to our email. We'll update as we learn more. Update: MacRumors...

At an event in Seattle, Amazon today unveiled a series of new Alexa-enabled Echo products, ranging from a new high-end speaker to a lamp. Amazon's Echo Studio, a new higher-end version of its Echo smart speaker, is designed to compete with Apple's HomePod. The Alexa-equipped Echo Studio, which is priced at $199, supports 3D Dolby sound and, like the ‌HomePod‌, is designed to optimize sound...

Amazon today introduced a new tier of Amazon Music, called Amazon Music HD, which offers lossless versions of audio files for streaming or downloading. This tier will cost $14.99/month, or $12.99/month for Amazon Prime members (via The Verge). Amazon is offering a catalog of over 50 million songs in "High Definition," which are songs with CD-quality bit depth of 16 bits and a 44.1kHz sample...

Following Apple's decision last week to suspend a Siri program that allows employees to listen to audio recordings for quality control purposes, Amazon and Google have both chosen to make their policies on human reviews of voice assistant audio more clear. Late last month, Apple confirmed that a small number of anonymized ‌Siri‌ requests are analyzed for the purpose of improving ‌Siri‌,...

Last year, Apple began selling many of its products on Amazon, including the latest iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. As part of Apple's agreement with Amazon, unauthorized resellers who offered new or refurbished Apple products on Amazon had their listings removed after January 4, 2019. Since then, independent sellers have been required to apply for Apple Authorized Reseller status ...

It's the middle of July, which means it's time for Amazon's annual Prime Day shopping event, offering Amazon Prime customers the chance to save money on a vast array of items across the retailer's online storefront. Like we did last year, today we've launched a live blog that will track notable Prime Day discounts across Amazon, most of which will relate to Apple products and accessories. You...

Amazon is developing a higher-quality version of its popular Echo smart speaker, according to a new report today by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Prototypes of the cylindrical speaker are wider than the current Echo to squeeze in additional components including at least four tweeters, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss an internal matter. The speaker is reportedly being developed...

For the last few years, Amazon has been hosting an epic Prime Day sale that offers up deals and discounts on a huge range of products. This year, Prime Day is actually going to take place over two days, kicking off at midnight on July 15 and lasting through July 16. Last year's Prime Day ultimately lasted 36 hours, but 48 hours will be the longest Prime Day event to date. Amazon has some P...

Amazon today announced the Echo Show 5, the latest Echo device with a 5.5-inch display, more compact design, and privacy-focused voice controls for Alexa. Echo Show 5 is priced at $89.99 and is set to launch on June 26, 2019. Amazon's Echo Show devices have speakers and a touchscreen, aimed at letting customers watch the news via apps like NBC and Reuters, look at the weather, or make video...

Amazon announced this morning that Alexa Guard is now rolling out to all Echo device owners in the U.S. The free feature update, which has been trialed by a select few over the last few months, turns Echo speakers into security devices when no-one's home by allowing them to listen for key sounds indicating danger or intrusion. Users need to say "Alexa, I'm leaving" to set Alexa Guard to...

Amazon is reportedly readying a high-fidelity music streaming service that's set to launch by the end of the year. According to Music Business Worldwide, Amazon is in discussions with various large music rights-holders regarding the upcoming launch of the new streaming platform, which is likely to cost $15 per month. "It's a better bit rate, better than CD quality," one source told MBW....

Earlier this month, Bloomberg shared details on the thousands of employees that Amazon employs around the world to listen to voice recordings captured in the homes of Amazon Echo owners when the Alexa wake word is spoken, with the purpose of improving the service. There was some concerning information in the report, including employee access to private recordings, recordings that are upsetting ...