Amazon Alexa+ Reaches 1 Million Subscribers in Growing Voice Market
Amazon’s upgraded voice assistant, Alexa+ , has reached a new milestone: it now has over one million users , according to a recent statement by the company to The Verge . Introduced earlier this year as Amazon’s answer to the growing wave of generative AI assistants like Gemini and ChatGPT, Alexa+ aims to offer smarter, more natural conversations — even when users speak in half-finished thoughts or casual language.
One of the key selling points of Alexa+ is its ability to carry on conversations across multiple devices. Amazon says users can start an interaction on their Echo device and continue it seamlessly on a smartphone, car system, or computer — a feature designed to enhance usability throughout the day.
While one million users may seem modest compared to the 600 million Alexa-enabled devices already in use globally, it’s a meaningful step forward. Just last month, the service was available to only “hundreds of thousands” of users, showing steady growth since its launch.
However, access to Alexa+ remains limited. It’s currently part of an Early Access program , open to both Prime and non-Prime members who own compatible Echo devices. Prime subscribers get the service for free, while others pay $19.99 per month .
Despite positive feedback from some early users, there have been reports of issues. Some users noted that Alexa+ sometimes struggles with tasks that the older version handled smoothly — such as reading data from smart home sensors. Others expressed frustration when the assistant confidently provides incorrect information instead of admitting it doesn’t know the answer.
Amazon is taking a cautious approach with the rollout, allowing time to fix bugs and improve performance before wider availability. Panos Panay, the head of Amazon’s Devices & Services division, has emphasized ensuring a smooth experience before expanding the release.
Currently, the Early Access version of Alexa+ does not yet include all planned features , such as:
- Brainstorming gift ideas
- Scheduling spa appointments
- Hands-free grocery ordering
- Jumping directly to favorite scenes on Fire TV
Also missing is the upcoming web-based Alexa.com experience , which would put Alexa in direct competition with services like ChatGPT and Google Gemini. According to Amazon, these features are expected to roll out gradually over the coming weeks and months. As of now, around 90% of Alexa+’s planned capabilities are already live in the early access version.
