Amazon is bringing Alexa to the assistant’s Android app, enabling users to interact with the app as they would an Echo device.
The update will dramatically enhance the functionality of the app, which has previously been used for administrative matters like altering Echo settings and adding new Skills.
Now Alexa app users will be able to request information, play music and access the wide range of Alexa Skills simply by talking to their mobile device.
The app, which rolls out this week, will expand Alexa functionality to a wide range of Android phones and it’ll directly challenge the Google Assistant on mobile devices.
Google Assistant will have the upper hand though, as voice controls will only be active when the app is open, according to Android Police.
The update is currently rolling out on the Google Play store and the Amazon Appstore for Android. Amazon has been building the functionality into some smartphones, like the HTC U 11, Huawei Mate 9 and Moto X4.
Amazon also says a version of the app is coming to iOS, but it’s going to take a while before Apple approves it. Even then, there may be more limitations on the app when compared with the Android version.
