Amazon co-founder MacKenzie Scott has donated over $19 billion to charity in just five years
Diamond batteries powered by nuclear waste promise 28,000 years of clean energy
Alexa Plus Hits One Million Users Amid Cautious Rollout
After an extensive development period, Alexa Plus is beginning to make its mark in American households. Amazon now claims over a million users for this advanced version of its voice assistant, up from several hundred thousand last month. This rapid growth is still controlled: the service remains in early access and limited to the U.S. Amazon is intentionally taking its time to ensure stability in this major overhaul before a broader rollout planned for this summer.
A More Natural Voice Assistant, Yet Incomplete
Alexa Plus aims to offer more natural interactions, enhanced contextual understanding, and smarter management of multiple services. Some features are already impressive: control of multiple smart home devices at once, memory for personal requests, planning assistance, and advanced music search capabilities. However, other features are still missing from the test program: Fire TV control, gift suggestions, and personalized music creation are not yet available.
Early Feedback is Positive
User feedback on platforms like Reddit and Facebook has been generally positive, despite significant limitations. Many applaud the improved vocal experience, which is smoother and more useful in daily life. However, others lament that certain functionalities of the previous Alexa are no longer compatible, or that the new assistant does not yet recognize all connected devices. The shift from traditional voice commands to a conversational assistant has not been without its challenges.
NASA warns China could slow Earth’s rotation with one simple move
This dog endured 27 hours of labor and gave birth to a record-breaking number of puppies
Launch in France: Delayed and Pricing Unclear
For French users, the big question remains: when will Alexa Plus be available? Not anytime soon. Amazon has not provided a launch date for Europe. Stricter regulatory frameworks (AI Act, DMA) might push the launch back to 2026. As for pricing, in France, the subscription could be around 20 euros, unless Amazon decides to include it with Prime memberships, which would be far more appealing.
So, What’s the Verdict?
The trend for Echo devices and Alexa has somewhat waned in France, perhaps because many households are already equipped, and such devices do not require rapid renewal. Nonetheless, it’s hard not to feel envious seeing a brand like Amazon rapidly advancing in these areas, especially when compared to Apple’s Siri, which significantly lags behind. Would you be interested in getting Alexa Plus when it launches in France?
And since I have your attention, why not consider creating an account on Mac4Ever? It would make commenting a lot easier for you!