Developers can now build smart TVs that are controllable via Alexa commands without needing to invoke a specific skill, thanks to the new Video Skill API that Amazon released late last week.
ADVERTISEMENT
Amazon connects the Echo to smart tvs (AMZN)
This story was delivered to BI Intelligence subscribers. To learn more and subscribe, please .
In practice, this will eventually allow Alexa users to say, for instance, "Alexa, turn on Orange Is The New Black," and the user's TV will oblige if the TV is linked with the popular voice assistant. It's worth noting that users don't even need to specify the application, like HBO or Netflix, that the show or movie is on.
This could boost Echo shipments while growing engagement.
ADVERTISEMENT
The US smart home market has still yet to meet the expectations many observers had in the early part of this decade. The same issues BI Intelligence first identified back in 2015 still plague the space — persistently high prices, technological fragmentation, and consumers' lack of a perceived benefit from the devices.
To get your copy of this invaluable guide, subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND more than 250 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. >> Learn More Now
JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!
ADVERTISEMENT
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
ADVERTISEMENT