Amazon and Google recently buried their hatchet and decided to support each other’s voice platforms. Now, the first wave of such a partnership is coming to life. Amazon Alexa is now coming to select models of Android TV. While Amazon apps can be easily installed on any compatible Android device before, Alexa is coming bundled for the first time. In some ways, Alexa coming to Android TVs is coming to Apple iTunes debuting on Windows for the first time.
Amazon Alexa versus Google Assistant just got real
While installing Alexa on Android phones is as easy as downloading the app from Google Play Store, the same is not true for Android TVs. The option to sideload Alexa or Amazon apps on Android TVs is a difficult affair. Both the companies decided to not support each other because of their streaming devices. Amazon offers Fire TV Stick as a streaming platform while Google has its own called Chromecast.
Amazon first announced plans to bring Alexa to select Sony Bravia TVs running Android TV back in April. Now, a listing on Google Play Store has confirmed that the integration is coming very soon. This could mean that Amazon Echo owners will be able to control their TV via smart speakers. You will also be able to directly summon Alexa on your Android TV as well.
The app, simply called Amazon Alexa, is now available for download on select Sony Bravia Android TVs. The app is available in the US, UK, Germany, Spain, France, Austria and the Republic of Ireland. The list of supported Bravia TVs varies according to these regions so you better check your model before installing it. The description for the app explicitly mentions that Alexa is supposed to be used on Sony TVs exclusively.
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Once you enable Alexa on your Bravia Android TV, you can control the television with voice commands like “Alexa, turn on <TV Name>”. With Alexa, the TV can also act as a hub or console to control all Alexa-connected smart gadgets in your home. It also supports controlling music playback from number of streaming services. Amazon Alexa is a far superior voice platform than rivals. Its arrival Android TV, where Google Assistant already exists, shows how Amazon has built a more intelligent interface.