SEATTLE, 2016-Sep-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — Just over a year ago, Amazon launched the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) and the Alexa Voice Service (AVS), making it simple and free for developers to build new capabilities for Alexa and integrate Alexa into their own products. Today (Sep. 13, 2016), there are tens of thousands of developers building Alexa skills, and over 3,000 Alexa skills now available to customers, increasing by 3x since June. Also today,Amazon announced new skills including Food Network and GE Appliances available now, with Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football, Bloomberg, and What to Expect When Expecting all coming by the end of this month.
“We’re thrilled to announce that developers have launched over 3,000 skills on Alexa-enabled devices such as the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot,” said Steve Rabuchin, Vice President, Amazon Alexa. “When we launched the Alexa Skills Kit over a year ago, our goal was to enable developers to build compelling voice experiences for Alexa customers. The response from both developers and customers has been overwhelmingly positive, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”
Here’s a little more about these Alexa skills:
- Food Network: Starting today, use the Food Network skill to get show times, recipes, and more by just asking Alexa. Take advantage of all the new recipes at your fingertips by saying “Alexa, ask Food Network to send me the recipes from the show I’m watching right now.”
- GE Appliances: Starting today, use the GE Appliances skill, “Geneva,” to control your connected kitchen appliances using just your voice through Alexa. Just say “Alexa, tell Geneva to preheat the oven to 350°.”
- Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football: Coming soon, you’ll be able to use the Yahoo Sports Fantasy Football skill to follow your Fantasy Football leagues on Yahoo including rankings, matchups, player points, and more—all by using the power of your voice.
- Bloomberg: Coming by the end of this month, you can get quotes for US stocks and the leading international market indices. In addition, you can hear the latest business and financial news stories from “Bloomberg Market Minute.”
- What to Expect, Pregnancy & Baby: Coming by the end of this month, parents and parents-to-be can get personalized updates for every day of pregnancy, including actionable tips, and guidance through the first year of their baby’s life, all from just asking Alexa.
- Twitter Reader: Added just last week, customers can use the Twitter Reader skill to hear all the latest updates from your Twitter timeline, or follow a trending hashtag. Enable this skill today by saying, “Alexa, enable the Twitter Reader skill.”
- Genesis: Added last month, Genesis allows Hyundai Genesis G80 and G90 customers to control their car via Alexa. For example, G80 and G90 customers can say, “Alexa, tell Genesis to lock my car.”
- Find My Phone: Added last month, the Find My Phone skill from TrackR allows Alexa customers to locate a misplaced phone by saying, “Alexa, ask TrackR to find my phone”—the phone will ring loudly, even if it’s on silent mode.
- KAYAK: Use the KAYAK skill to plan and track your next trip through Alexa, just say “Alexa, ask KAYAK: Where can I fly for $300?”
- TP-LINK Kasa: Use the TP-LINK Kasa skill to easily set up and control your lights via Alexa, just say “Alexa, turn on my lights.”
- Patrón: Use the Patrón skill to find and make tequila cocktails using Alexa, just say, “Alexa, ask Patrón to find a spicy margarita.”
- Food Tracker by Nutritionix: The Food Tracker skill lets Alexa customers get detailed nutrition information for thousands of common foods from the Nutritionix database, and help track those foods in a personal food log. Just say, “Alexa, ask Food Tracker how many calories are in a slice of cheese pizza.”
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.
Media Hotline:
206-266-7180
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr
Source: Amazon.com, Inc.