Fire TV Alexa+ is getting a dedicated hub, according to Amazon. US customers start seeing the software in November on selected Fire TV devices. Meanwhile, the Fire TV mobile app is picking up the same assistant. Watchlists can then travel with the phone.
Amazon already made Alexa+ free on compatible US Fire TV hardware in August. This pass is about how you talk to it. Alexa+ will reason across subscriptions, watch history, and title availability. It also uses real-world context such as awards and current events. Therefore it can answer questions like “Alexa, find shows that were nominated for the recent Emmys but got snubbed.” It can also list MCU films in in-universe timeline order.
What the Fire TV Alexa+ hub does
The new hub surfaces personalized prompt suggestions based on viewing history. You can tap a prompt, watch, or resume a chat started on an Echo. You can also resume a conversation from the Alexa app. In addition, Amazon is adding a threaded chat. You can scroll back to earlier recommendations and ask follow-up questions.
When you just want to browse, live programming from more than 40 apps now sits in the Guides tab. It also appears on the home screen. That list includes YouTube TV, Peacock, Tubi, Sling, and DirecTV. The Games hub gathers cloud play from Xbox, Luna, NVIDIA GeForce NOW, and Weekend. Still, these are Amazon’s own descriptions of the interface. They are not a hands-on test of every app tile.
How the Fire TV mobile app uses Alexa+
The Fire TV app will search by text or voice. It can browse recommendations and add titles to a watchlist with a tap. Instead of hoping you remember a recommendation later, you can share an article into the app. Alexa+ turns that piece into a curated list you can save in full or in part.
You can also send a photo of a poster, a location, a screenshot, or a meme. Alexa+ identifies the picture and suggests related titles. Then it shows which streaming services carry them. If you tap a service icon, the app deep-links so playback can start on the phone. After you get home, the title is supposed to appear in Continue Watching on Fire TV.
Amazon will also ship a redesigned Amazon Music app for Fire TV later this fall. It packs music videos, video podcasts, live concerts, and festival livestreams. The Alexa+ TV software begins in November. First devices include Fire TV Stick 4K Max (second generation), Fire TV Cube, and Amazon Ember TVs. Partner sets from Hisense and TCL with Fire TV built in are also on the list. However, the new Fire TV Stick 4K and more countries wait until early next year. The mobile app starts with US customers later this year. Amazon also recently rolled Adaptive Display onto Stick HD. So this is another software pass on the same family.
