Amazon Alexa+ Upgrade: Everything You Need to Know and How to Get Early Access

The much-anticipated Alexa+ upgrade is finally here, and Amazon has officially announced the rollout of this advanced version of its voice assistant, set to begin its early access phase in March 2025. This upgrade brings Alexa into a new era, blending natural conversation with cutting-edge AI and backend smart features, making it an even more powerful tool for your smart home and daily tasks.

For years, Amazon’s Alexa has been a dominant force in the smart speaker market, helping users manage their homes, play music, control lights, and more with just a few voice commands. But now, Alexa+ promises to take things to the next level with deeper conversational abilities, advanced machine learning capabilities, and more robust integration with other smart devices. But how can you get access to Alexa+ early? And what do you need to know about this new version of the popular assistant? Here’s everything you need to know, including how to sign up and what device types are required to use the service.

What is Alexa+?

Amazon’s new Alexa+ upgrade is the next generation of the popular voice assistant, offering a more intelligent and nuanced interaction model. The main goal of Alexa+ is to make your conversations with Alexa feel more natural and intuitive, as the assistant will be able to process more complex commands, recognize context better, and provide more accurate and detailed responses.

Unlike the standard version of Alexa, Alexa+ will also bring enhancements to several key areas, including:

• Natural Conversations: Alexa+ is designed to handle more conversational exchanges, with improvements in understanding sentence structure, context, and follow-up queries. You can now interact with Alexa in a more fluid, less robotic manner.

• Backend Intelligence: Powered by advanced AI, Alexa+ has access to a deeper layer of machine learning, which means it will be able to answer more complex queries, understand contextual data, and even make more personalized recommendations based on your habits and preferences.

• Better Device Integration: With Alexa+, your smart home setup will be smoother and more intuitive, with Alexa acting as the central hub that can seamlessly control and interact with a wide variety of devices.

• Enhanced Automation: Alexa+ will also feature smarter automation capabilities, meaning Alexa will proactively suggest and control actions based on the information it gathers about your routines, such as adjusting your thermostat or lights without needing a command.

How to Get Early Access to Alexa+

While the general availability of Alexa+ is still several months away, Amazon is offering an early access period that allows users to try the enhanced version of Alexa before it becomes widely available. If you’re excited to get your hands on this upgraded assistant, there’s a process you need to follow to sign up for early access and increase your chances of being selected.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Sign Up for Early Access

To register for early access to Alexa+, head to the Alexa+ signup page on Amazon’s website. During the early access period, Alexa+ will be free for users who have an Amazon Prime membership. If you don’t have a Prime membership, the service will be available for a monthly fee of $19.99.

Here’s the process to follow:

• Go to the Alexa+ Early Access Signup Page (available in the U.S. in March 2025).

• Enter your Amazon account credentials (or create a new account if you don’t have one).

• Indicate whether you have a Prime membership or if you’d like to subscribe to Alexa+ for the monthly fee.

• Follow any additional prompts, which may include verifying your device and location.

Once you’ve signed up, Amazon will notify you whether you’ve been selected to join the early access program. Alexa+ will begin its rollout in March 2025, and you will receive instructions on how to set it up once you’re granted access.

2. Ensure You Have the Right Device

To use Alexa+, you will need a compatible device. While many existing Alexa-enabled devices will support the upgrade, Amazon has outlined a few specific devices that will be required for the best experience with Alexa+.

Devices that support Alexa+ include:

• Amazon Echo 4th Gen and 5th Gen (and newer models)

• Echo Show (2nd Gen and newer) models with video support

• Echo Studio

• Fire TV Cube and Fire TV Stick 4K

• Echo Auto (for in-car use)

• Other Alexa-compatible smart devices with the latest software updates

If you have one of these devices, you’ll be all set for Alexa+ once the early access phase begins. If you have an older Alexa device, it may not be compatible with the new features in Alexa+, but you can check Amazon’s website for more information on compatibility.

Pricing and Availability of Alexa+

While Alexa+ is available for free to Prime members during the early access phase, once the service is widely available, the cost will depend on your Amazon membership status. For Prime members, Alexa+ will be included as part of your membership, with no additional charges. Non-Prime members will be able to access Alexa+ for $19.99 per month.

Amazon Prime members who subscribe to Alexa+ will benefit from:

• The full suite of Alexa+ features without any extra charge.

• Priority access to new Alexa features and updates as they roll out.

• Exclusive content and personalization options not available to non-Prime users.

Non-Prime members can still access Alexa+ but will have to pay a monthly subscription fee of $19.99.

Key Features of Alexa+

Now that we know how to access Alexa+, let’s take a closer look at the key features that make this new version of Alexa stand out. Some of the biggest upgrades include:

1. Advanced AI and Smarter Responses

With Alexa+, you’ll notice that your interactions with the assistant feel more human-like. Alexa will not only understand what you say but also pick up on context, allowing for more intelligent conversations. For example, if you ask Alexa to set a reminder for tomorrow morning, you could then ask follow-up questions without needing to repeat the task or context. Alexa will be able to remember that you asked about a morning reminder and tailor its responses accordingly.

2. Deep Personalization

Alexa+ will become more personalized over time, learning your habits, preferences, and routines. For instance, Alexa might start suggesting certain tasks at particular times of the day based on your previous actions. It could remind you to take medication, adjust the thermostat before you get home, or even recommend a playlist for your workout based on your music history.

3. Smarter Home Automation

With Alexa+’s advanced automation capabilities, controlling your smart home will become even easier. Alexa can proactively manage tasks based on your behavior, making adjustments to lights, temperature, security, and more without needing you to lift a finger.

4. Expanded Third-Party Integrations

Alexa+ will expand its compatibility with third-party apps and services. Whether it’s streaming content, managing your home security, or getting updates from your calendar, Alexa+ will integrate with even more platforms, offering a seamless experience across your smart home ecosystem.

5. Voice Customization

Alexa+ will allow for more voice customization options. Whether you want Alexa to sound more natural, be more formal, or even give responses in a specific tone, you’ll have more control over the way Alexa communicates with you.

Conclusion

Alexa+ is the next evolution of Amazon’s popular voice assistant, and its early access rollout in March 2025 marks an exciting development for Alexa users worldwide. With a host of new features such as smarter conversations, deeper personalization, and enhanced home automation, Alexa+ promises to make your daily interactions with Alexa even more intuitive and powerful.

To gain access to Alexa+, users can sign up for the early access program starting in March 2025. If you have an Amazon Prime membership, the service will be free, but those without Prime will be able to enjoy it for a monthly fee of $19.99. Make sure your device is compatible with Alexa+ to get the best experience, and be ready to explore all the new features that make Alexa smarter, more helpful, and more integrated into your life than ever before.