Alexa+ lands in Australia with $29.99 non-Prime price

Amazon has launched Alexa+ in Australia, bringing its generative AI-powered personal assistant into Early Access from Thursday, 6 August. The company plans to invite thousands of Australian customers to use the service over the coming weeks.

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Alexa+ will be free for eligible Amazon customers during Early Access. After that period, it will remain free for Prime members, while non-Prime customers will pay AU$29.99 a month.

What Australian customers need to know

• Early Access begins in Australia on Thursday, 6 August.
• Eligible customers can use Alexa+ free during Early Access.
• Prime members will receive Alexa+ at no additional cost after Early Access.
• Non-Prime customers will pay AU$29.99 a month.
• More than 98 per cent of Australian Alexa customers have a compatible device.

Customers who purchase an eligible Echo device can opt into Alexa+ immediately. Existing device owners can register their interest through Amazon and wait for an invitation.

Alexa moves beyond voice commands

Amazon built Alexa+ using large language models delivered through Amazon Bedrock. The company said the new architecture connects hundreds of services and devices, allowing the assistant to respond conversationally and complete tasks.

Alexa+ can book restaurant tables, flag calendar clashes, recommend and purchase gifts, manage shopping lists and control smart home devices. It can also remember household preferences, routines and dietary requirements.

Kate Gooden, Alexa Country Manager for Australia, said the launch represented a shift from Alexa’s traditional command-based experience.

“Alexa+ represents our biggest leap forward in personal AI – shifting from a more transactional ‘ask and do’ experience to a sidekick that you can chat to naturally, remembers your preferences, can turn up the heating if it senses a temperature drop, and is genuinely more capable of getting things done,” Gooden said.

Amazon said Australians interact with Alexa more than two billion times each year. This includes more than 34 million weather checks and over 600 million smart home actions during the past 12 months.

Media, music and service integrations

Alexa+ connects with Amazon Music, Spotify and Apple Music, alongside local radio services. OpenTable integration allows users to make restaurant bookings, while Tripadvisor trip-planning features will arrive later.

Users can stream news from ABC and News24. Amazon said Alexa+ can also provide information from The Guardian, Australian Associated Press, The Associated Press and Reuters.

The assistant also connects with Prime Video and Audible. Conversations can move between supported devices, allowing users to continue an interaction from an Echo Show on their phone.

Amazon gives Alexa an Australian voice

Amazon has trained Alexa+ to understand Australian expressions including “arvo”, “snags”, “servo” and “bottlo”. It has also been designed to recognise local sporting references, music and regional language.

The company’s Australian engineers, linguists and speech scientists worked on the localisation. Amazon said the team refined its speech technology to better understand Australian accents and regional differences.

Device compatibility and browser access

Amazon said more than 98 per cent of its Australian Alexa customers already own a compatible device. The Echo Show 8, Echo Show 11, Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio have been purpose-built for Alexa+ with additional processing power and sensors.

The company also plans to launch Alexa.com.au in the coming months. The browser service will allow customers to use Alexa+ for detailed research and continue conversations started on another device.

Privacy controls remain available

Customers can use the Alexa Privacy dashboard to review interactions, manage shared attachments and change how long Amazon stores voice recordings. The controls are available through the Alexa app and online.

Alexa-enabled devices will retain their existing camera controls and visual indicators showing when the assistant is listening. Some Alexa+ features using Ring cameras will require an active Ring subscription.