Amazon confirms new fee for using Alexa on your Echo but there's a way to beat it

Alexa is about to get far smarter. Amazon has just unleashed a new version of this chatty assistant called Alexa+, which will allow you to have full-blown conversations, sort your weekly calendar, and even book an Uber. It's a massive upgrade from the online retailer that brings endless smarts to the much-loved platform but comes with a hefty cost. When it arrives in the US next month, those who want to join the Alexa+ revolution will have to pay a whopping $19.99 to use it. It's a very high price - especially as Alexa has also been free - but there is a way to avoid the fee with Amazon saying Prime members will get it as part of the package.

So what is Alexa+, and is it worth all that money?

Mirror Online was at the launch of this service in New York and there's no question it's impressive. During its live demos, Amazon's Panos Panay showed how Alexa can understand what you are asking for even if you natter away and don't bark a direct command at it.

At one point during the showcase from Spring Studios in Manhattan, he chatted away, saying he was in New York and wanted something to eat nearby - Alexa then offered up a bunch of restaurants and even announced which she thought was the best.

The whole point of Alexa+ is that she learns more about your interests, personal preferences and even what food you do and don't like. That means when you ask for film ideas, recipes or sports updates, you'll only hear about the things you actually like. You can even say things like "Alexa, I have some 10-year-olds coming for a kids party tonight and they hate pasta" with the assistant instantly providing solutions and ideas.

Along with those all-important requests, she will help you build routines for your home without needing to dig into endless settings. Plus, there are easy ways to control your whole home speaker set-up via voice.

That then means you can seamlessly move your music around rooms just by saying “play the music upstairs” or “play the music everywhere, but don’t wake the baby” and Alexa+ will know you mean to play on all speakers except those in the nursery.

We were even treated to a demo where music from a movie was being played. Panay then asked Alexa+ to show the scene where the song featured - a Fire TV Stick then instantly launched the film from Prime Video and skipped directly to the correct moment.

Another neat feature is checking to see footage from your Ring cameras. You can ask Alexa+ if the dog has been taken for a walk or a package delivered and she'll search through all the footage she has and show it on the screen.

She can also now check your emails, book restaurants, find you an Uber and so much more.

New animations also make the whole experience feel far more interactive. It's supremely clever and only going to get better.

“While the vision of Alexa has been ambitious and incredibly compelling, right until this moment, we have been limited by technology,” Panos said.

"Introducing Alexa+, our next generation assistant, powered by generative AI. Alexa+ helps you stay organized during busy days, provides detailed answers tailored to your needs, and handles everything from project planning to solving daily challenges—all through natural conversation."

It's been confirmed that Alexa+ will start rolling out in the U.S. in the next few weeks, and subsequently in waves in the coming months starting with households with Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21.