Overview
- Alexa+, which opened Early Access in Germany on Thursday, is free during the trial, will be included in Prime afterward, and will cost €22.99 per month for non‑Prime users.
- The generative‑AI update enables more natural, context‑aware chats, can remember details by request, and can book tables via OpenTable, add to calendars, and build smart‑home routines by voice.
- Users need recent Echo or Fire TV hardware such as Echo Show 8 or 11, Echo Studio 2 or Echo Dot Max, and can join by requesting an invite or by buying a new compatible device.
- Alexa+ can analyze Ring camera footage to answer practical questions—like locating a toy or confirming if bins were put out—and it is already embedded in BMW’s iX3, with broader model updates coming later in 2026.
- Early hands‑ons reported multi‑second pauses and occasional mistakes, and Amazon says complex requests run in the cloud with user uploads retained until they are deleted, which has raised privacy concerns.