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“Alexa, where are you?” Answer: “I’m in 100 million devices”

Podean : 6/4/19 7:23 AM

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“Alexa, where are you?” Answer: “I’m in 100 million devices”

In today’s world, it seems like everything has some sort of AI or smart technology built into it. With top companies like Amazon, Google, and Apple leading the way in integrating virtual assistants into all sorts of items and devices, the IoT (Internet of Things) is growing larger in scale every single day. But it is apparent that Amazon stands out with the most unique and seemingly popular virtual assistant with its Alexa equipped product line.

The most common device sold that comes equipped with Alexa is the Echo Dot, but recently Amazon has been linking Alexa with numerous smart home devices and updating Alexa’s functions daily. The reason we recognize Alexa as a more sought after virtual assistant technology than say, Google or Siri, is because most devices purchased with Alexa are bought with the purpose of using that functionality specifically, whereas Apple and Google send their virtual assistants pre-loaded onto countless smartphone devices. So don’t be fooled if the number of Alexa devices sold is smaller than that of its counterparts, Alexa equipped devices are selling so fast that Amazon can barely keep up with manufacturing them.

Amazon has now sold over 100 million Alexa equipped devices, and the sales are expected to continue to skyrocket as they link up with dozens of new devices and create new functions on the regular! In fact, there are over 150 different kinds of devices that have Alexa built in and many of those are not even Amazon products themselves. These third-party devices seem to be apart of Amazon’s strategy when it comes to growing the Alexa popularity and accessibility. Amazon still stays involved with these third-party manufacturers to ensure that everything with Alexa continues to follow Amazon’s privacy policy and does not misuse data, but aside from this monitoring, Amazon appears to take a rather relaxed approach towards dealing with these integrations.

When asked about the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show, Amazons SVP of devices and services, Dave Limp stated:

“Customers do not care about an ad campaign on the Las Vegas Strip, they just don’t. It’s playing to the industry. It’s not playing to who really matters. Will we have a slide with a diving board and a pool? No, that’s not the plan. But I think we’re going to have lots of partners with really good products, which I’m excited about.”

Amazon is confident and relaxed about its Alexa product releases, as the company evidently knows that a good product will sell itself in lieu of having to put together a big fancy release with a bunch of made up hype. In 2018, Amazon held an event where it made announcements of dozens of new devices that would come stock with Alexa capabilities, forgoing any fluff or frill that other companies often put up along with these announcements.

So where exactly is Alexa? Well, the simple answer is “everywhere!” There is the ever popular Echo line, of which the Echo Dot became the most purchased holiday item in 2018 as well as wall clocks, screens, wall plugs, and even kitchen appliances!

Dave Limp says that Amazon “wants to get as many devices to use Alexa as possible” and he wants those devices to do as much as possible. “I think someday, third-party Alexa-enabled endpoints may be vastly larger than what we produce ourselves.”

Today, Alexa can be used along with speakers, laptops, tablets, vehicles, TV’s, outlets, mirrors, phones, smoke alarms, thermostats, light switches, lightbulbs, cameras, and much, much more! Click here for the full Echo and Alexa products list.

Amazon is laser-focused on aiding third-party developers in expanding the Alexa compatible market, and that is a good thing for the consumer! Get ready for more help from Alexa no matter where you are!