Amazon is rolling out updates this week that will allow some customers in the U.S. to access Spanish language on supported Fire TV devices.
Consumers can turn on the new Alexa feature in the Fire TV languages section of their devices’ settings page. The experience includes a new Spanish voice for Alexa on Fire TV, local knowledge and skills.
Spanish language is available today on Fire TV Stick (2nd Gen), Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Edition smart TVs, and Fire TV Edition sound bars in the United States. This feature will be coming soon to Fire TV Cube (1st and 2nd Gen) in the United States.
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The addition of Spanish-language support for Alexa on Fire TV devices will open up more addressable markets for the company’s voice assistant.
The new feature comes after last month Amazon introduced the Fire TV Blaster, which is built to work in tandem with other Amazon devices to expand Alexa voice controls within the home. The infrared device pairs with a Fire TV streaming device and an Amazon Echo to extend voice control to TVs, soundbars, cable boxes and A/V receivers, allowing users to turn TVs on and off, switch inputs, control volume and change cable TV channels.
Since its introduction last year, Amazon’s Fire TV Cube has added more compatible apps for its hands-free controls. In October, Jason Parrish, head of product management at Amazon Fire TV, said that his company has more than double the number of Fire TV Cube partners since launching the first edition of the device last year.
He said Amazon is looking at ways to grow consumption even further by evolving voice commands to make them more natural and contextual. The company introduced the “Follow-Up” feature to make the microphones stay open after certain commands so users don’t have to continually say the awake word to their devices.