Some Alexa+ features reportedly won’t arrive for months

Tech Crunch - Mar 31st, 2025

Amazon has officially launched its upgraded Alexa experience, Alexa+, but the service is notably missing several features that were promised during a February press event. Key capabilities such as ordering takeout on Grubhub, generating entertaining stories for kids, visually identifying people for reminders, and brainstorming gift ideas are absent. Moreover, some features, like ordering an Uber and receiving cooking recommendations, are only available to a limited group of users initially. The anticipated web app for Alexa+ also lacks a clear release date, highlighting ongoing challenges with the underlying AI infrastructure.

The launch of Alexa+ is significant as it reflects Amazon's continued investment in AI technology and smart home assistants. However, the absence of key features and the partial rollout of others suggest that Amazon is facing substantial technical hurdles. These issues could impact user adoption and satisfaction, potentially affecting Amazon's competitive position in the smart assistant market. Given the increasing reliance on AI for everyday tasks, the development of Alexa+ is closely watched by the industry and consumers alike for its potential to reshape how people interact with technology in their daily lives.

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Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

6.6

Fair Story

Consider it well-founded

The article provides a timely and relevant overview of the Alexa+ launch, highlighting key issues such as missing features and AI infrastructure challenges. It is generally clear and accessible, but lacks depth and balance, focusing primarily on negative aspects without providing a comprehensive view of the situation. The reliance on a single secondary source without corroborating evidence limits the article's accuracy and transparency. To enhance its impact and engagement, the article could benefit from more detailed evidence, varied perspectives, and greater transparency in its sourcing and methodology.

Accuracy

The article accurately reports that Amazon launched Alexa+ by the end of March and highlights the absence of certain features that were promised during a press event. However, it lacks specific details on which features are available to all users and which are limited to a subset. Additionally, the claim about AI infrastructure challenges is not substantiated with concrete evidence or sources, which affects the precision and verifiability of the statement. The article cites The Washington Post, a reputable source, lending credibility to its claims, but the lack of direct quotes or detailed evidence from the press event or Amazon's official statements leaves some room for doubt.

Balance

The article primarily focuses on the shortcomings of Alexa+, such as missing features and AI infrastructure challenges, without providing a balanced view of any positive aspects or potential future improvements. It does not include perspectives from Amazon representatives or users who might have a different view. This one-sided focus could lead readers to perceive the launch negatively without considering the full context or potential benefits of the new service.

Clarity

The article is generally clear in its language and structure, making it easy for readers to follow the main points. However, it could benefit from more detailed explanations of the missing features and the specific challenges faced by Amazon's AI infrastructure. The lack of direct quotes or detailed evidence leaves some statements feeling vague and unsupported, which can affect overall comprehension.

Source quality

The article references The Washington Post, a well-regarded and reliable news source, which enhances its credibility. However, it does not include direct quotes or detailed statements from Amazon or other primary sources. The reliance on a single secondary source without corroborating information from other outlets or official statements from Amazon limits the depth and authority of the reporting.

Transparency

The article lacks transparency in its sourcing and methodology. It does not clearly explain how the information was obtained, nor does it disclose any potential conflicts of interest. The absence of direct quotes or data from the press event or Amazon's announcements leaves readers without a clear understanding of the basis for the claims made. Greater transparency about the sources and methods used would enhance the article's credibility and trustworthiness.