Alexa+ just got a massive setback

Summary

Amazon announced its new AI-powered Alexa+ voice assistant back in February of this year.
Alexa+ is meant to be a more conversational and context-aware personal assistant, with the company confirming plans to launch a web-based desktop experience alongside the mobile app.
Now, it appears that the Alexa.com web app has been delayed until at least the end of the summer, as per The Washington Post.

Back in February of this year, Amazon took the wraps off its next-generation smart voice assistant, dubbed Alexa+. This leaner, meaner, AI-powered personal assistant is designed to replace the original Alexa, while adding in generative AI technologies, and while offering up a new web-based interface in the form of Alexa.com.

Alexa+ entered its early access period phase just weeks after this announcement, with additional rollout waves hitting users in the months following. While some users have been able to access Alexa+ via the mobile app, the Alexa.com web app has been conspicuously missing from the equation until now.

As it turns out, Alexa+ for desktop appears to in fact be delayed. According to insider knowledge (via The Washington Post), Amazon may have “underestimated the work needed to launch Alexa.com.” Additionally, company documents obtained by the publication suggest that Alexa+ for web will reach customers “no sooner than July 31.”

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Meanwhile, Lauren Raemhild, an Amazon spokesperson, said to The Washington Post that Alexa.com hasn’t been delayed, and that it will be made available alongside Alexa+ Early Access “this summer.”

If you’re confused, you’re not the only one — this topsy-turvy rollout is something of a headscratcher, with no clear indication of when to expect the next-generation Alexa in its stable, final form.

Alexa+ is still on the way

Amazon is betting big on AI for its next-generation voice assistant

Pocket-lint / Amazon

Despite delays and nebulous launch windows, Alexa+ is still very much on the way. Amazon says that “around ninety percent of the features announced in February are already available,” albeit in Early Access form. The next-generation smart voice assistant is ultimately expected to roll out across mobile devices in app form, Echo smart home products, and, eventually, the web.

Leveraging the power of generative AI, Amazon promises that Alexa+ is smarter, more capable, and more conversational than the original Alexa that currently powers a vast number of smart speakers and displays across the globe. It’s unclear whether Alexa+ will ultimately prove capable enough to take on the likes of Google Gemini, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and others, but Amazon is certainly talking a big game.

While we may not have a clear-cut answer as to when Alexa.com will launch, or precisely when the entire Alexa+ feature set will be made broadly available to customers outside of Early Access, we do have information on pricing. Amazon Prime members are set to enjoy free access to the assistant, while non-subscribers can access it via a $15 per month reoccurring payment plan.