- You can sign up to try Alexa+ on Amazon.com
- Amazon unveiled the super-charged Alexa on Feb. 26 and will begin a phased rollout in March in the US
- You’ll need an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21 to be eligible for early access
Amazon finally revealed the Alexa upgrade we’ve all been waiting for several years for, and Alexa+ is set to begin an early access rollout for those in the United States next month, March 2025.
It’ll be a good few months, at least, before all eligible users have it. Still, if you’re itching to try out the super-charged Amazon assistant that blends natural conversing with some serious backend smarts, there is a path for at least signing up and having the correct device to potentially unlock access early.
While Alexa+ will be free with a Prime membership or $19.99 a month if you don’t have one, access to the service is free during the ‘Early Access’ period. So, let’s walk through how to sign up and tell Amazon you’re interested, plus the device type you’ll need to use Alexa+.
How to sign-up for Alexa+ Early Access
First things first, you’ll want to head over to Amazon’s landing page that invites you to ‘Meet the new Alexa” here. You can watch Amazon’s trailer for the new virtual assistant, but we recommend you read our breakdown of what you need to know about Alexa+ here.
If you scroll down the page, on the right side, you’ll see a box saying, “Alexa+ is coming soon.” Then, if you’re signed into Amazon, you can sign up to mark your interest and be notified when it’s available. Doing this puts you in the waiting queue to access Alexa+.
Amazon said that access will begin rolling out in waves starting in March 2025 for customers in the United States. There is no timeline yet for locations outside the US, but it will likely be a bit, considering Amazon’s slow and steady approach here.
However, it doesn’t seem like capacity is a long-term concern, with Daniel Rausch, Amazon’s VP of Alexa and Echo, telling TechRadar it’s ready, saying, “Yes, it is very nice to have AWS at Amazon.”
Once you sign up, you’ll see “We’ll email you when available” and receive an email confirming just that. However, you will need a particular Echo device to be among the first to get the chance to try out Alexa+.
And that would be one of these Alexa-powered smart displays: Echo Show 8, Echo Show 10, Echo Show 15, or Echo Show 21. No luck if you have the smallest Echo Show or a standard Echo smart speaker for early access.
Amazon makes it clear that it’s not limited if you already had one of these devices before Alexa+ was announced.
“We will start rolling out early access to US customers who own or purchase an Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21,” – which is pretty clear that you can buy one now to get access.
While none of these models are currently discounted, Amazon is known for offering discounts, and there’s a good chance these will see some in the future. Further, Amazon’s latest Echo Shows – the 15 or the 21 – should be excellent screens for taking advantage of all that Alexa+ is set to offer. TechRadar just reviewed the Echo Show 21 and gave it four out of five stars, noting it’s an excellent, oversized smart display with a great cooking companion and smart home chops. The Echo Show 21 is available for $399.99 at Amazon.
Of course, if you don’t need a 21.5 inch screen, the Show 8, Show 10, or Show 15 are better options to consider. They are also a bit more affordable in the United States at $149.99, $249.99, and $299.99, respectively, compared to the $399 Echo Show 21.
We’re eager to go hands-on and spend more time with Alexa+, so much so that I’ve already signed up for a chance at early access and have an Echo Show 21. Once we go hands-on, we’ll return with our early impressions and tips to get the most out of Amazon’s latest.
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jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol)
