Alexa Plus leaves behind Amazon’s earliest Echo devices

Amazon is bringing the caller AI-powered Alexa Plus to a wide scope of its existing Echo devices — but the upgrade will skip galore of the earliest models. The mostly of the company’s first-generation Echos won’t get support, according to the Alexa Plus FAQ page, though Amazon says they will proceed to activity pinch the modular Alexa.

Alexa Plus won’t support “certain older procreation Echo devices,” specified arsenic the first-generation Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus, Echo Tap, Echo Spot, and Echo Show; the second-generation Echo Show won’t support it, either. Amazon spokesperson Kristy Schmidt confirmed that is the afloat database of devices. If so, that still leaves many early Echo devices that will activity pinch Alexa Plus.

That intends I’ll beryllium capable to inquire Alexa to book a edifice preservation done my Echo Flex, the quirky modular Echo speaker that plugs consecutive into a wall outlet. And group tin still get an AI-generated opus piped done speakers they’ve connected their microphone-only Echo Inputs to. And if you person an ancient first- or- second-gen Echo Show 15 aliases newer Echo Hub, those will apparently get entree to the AI-enhanced Alexa, too. Schmidt confirmed that each of those will beryllium compatible.

Perhaps it’s a bummer that immoderate of those different older Echo devices won’t usage AI to book reservations, way summons prices, aliases make clone songs for you. But astatine slightest they’ll still beryllium capable to do the aged Alexa stuff, for illustration move connected your lights aliases show you the weather. And fixed rumors astir the struggle Amazon has had getting Alexa Plus to activity right, that mightiness beryllium a bully thing, astatine slightest for a while.