Everyone knows Alexa is a helpful assistant on Amazon Echo speakers — but did you know it's also available to use on the iPhone? Today, virtual assistants are a common part of daily life. iPhones and iPads have Siri, Android phones come with Google Assistant, and Amazon makes a plethora of smart speakers/displays with Alexa. Whether someone wants to check on the weather or manage their smart home devices, these AI helpers can be infinitely useful.
As with all things in life, however, some of these assistants are better than others. There are certain things Google Assistant is unmatched at, whereas Siri and Alexa have their unique strengths. While iPhone users may think they're limited to using Siri and nothing more, that's not true. If Siri isn't cutting it anymore — or you want to see how Alexa compares to it — doing so is surprisingly easy.
If you're ready to start using Alexa on your iPhone, the process couldn't be more straightforward. Open the App Store, tap the 'Search' icon at the bottom of the screen, search for 'Alexa,' and download the free Amazon Alexa app. After it's installed, open it up and log in with your Amazon account. When finished, you're taken to the Alexa app's Home page with a blue Alexa icon at the top of the screen. Simply tap that icon to say a voice command or ask a question. Just like that, you're talking to Alexa! Users can also say 'Alexa' from anywhere in the Alexa app and start talking to the assistant that way.
Other Ways To Use Alexa On The iPhone
Believe it or not, that's just one of a few ways iPhone owners can access Alexa on their device. Another trick is to send text messages to Alexa instead of talking to it. From the Home page of the Alexa app, tap the keyboard icon at the top-left of the screen. This takes users to a page where they can type out questions/commands for Alexa — helpful for situations where they need to ask the assistant something but aren't able to talk.
As great as all of this is, it does come with a fairly big limitation. If someone wants to use Alexa on their iPhone, they need to first find the app, open it, and then tap the Alexa icon (or say 'Alexa') to start using it. Thankfully, there is a way to drastically simplify this process. From your iPhone home screen, tap and hold on an existing app or widget. Tap 'Edit Home Screen,' tap the '+' icon in the top-left corner, scroll down, tap 'Amazon Alexa,' and tap 'Add Widget.' This adds an Alexa widget to your home screen — making Alexa that much easier to talk to. Now, all users have to do is tap that widget and start talking to Alexa instantly.
In short, Amazon Alexa is readily available to use on the iPhone. It's not as deeply integrated as Siri, but it is easy to download, 100 percent free to use, and is absolutely worth checking out if you're tired of Siri's limitations. No AI is perfect, but if you've never used Amazon Alexa and want to see what it's all about, this is a great way to do so.
Source: App Store