Amazon provides Alexa a brand new iOS widget and the power to assign reminders

Amazon has updated the Alexa app on iOS with the intention to entry the voice assistant proper from your own home display screen through a brand new widget. Everyone can use the assistant to remind particular members of your family to do duties by way of a brand new “assign reminders” talent.

Due to the considerably restrictive nature of the widgets on iOS, the brand new Ask Alexa widget isn’t a lot Alexa itself as it’s a hyperlink on to the iOS app. But in case you have the Alexa widget positioned on any of your screens and also you’ve already given the Alexa app permission to make use of your iPhone’s mic, you’ll have the ability to begin making requests with a faucet.

And now these requests can get a bit extra granular. Amazon’s given Alexa the power to assign reminders to particular members of your family if they’ve a Voice Profile arrange on the identical Amazon Alexa account. So should you say “Alexa, remind Jeff to take the lasagna out of the freezer at 10AM,” Alexa will have the ability to ship the reminder to the best particular person, on the proper time, by way of the Alexa app. You can add profiles to your Alexa account in Settings underneath Your Profile, and Amazon says you may assign relationship nicknames to every one, like mother, dad, daughter, and many others.

Alexa picks up new options and expertise on a month-to-month foundation, however Amazon additionally introduced plans in June to open up Alexa even additional to third-party builders. Among many new APIs, builders will have the ability to create customized widgets for the Echo Show.