Amazon has given the Alexa app its first major redesign

Just in time for next week’s release of the new Echo Dot, Echo Show, Echo Plus, and other new Alexa hardware, Amazon has just updated the Alexa app with a completly revamped interface. This is the first major overhaul that the app has ever received. The most notable change, other than the look and feel of the app, is a new device tab that makes it easier than ever to control all of your smart home devices from a single screen.

The Alexa app, which was initially called the Echo App, used to be used primarily for adding and configuring Alexa devices. Of course, it’s still used for that purpose, but it has since also become a handy central place to control all the various smart home devices that communicate with Alexa. That’s why a lot of care has been put into the Devices screen of the redesigned app.

A horizontally scrolling list of all smart device types sits at the top of the Devices tab in the app, which makes it easier to see all similar devices together on the same screen. If you want to access all of your light bulbs, for example, with a single tap you can see a list of them on a single screen with toggle buttons to turn them on or off.

If you prefer to view devices by the group or room that they’re in, those groupings are listed just below the device type icons. Each group now has a different colored background that is relevant to the group name to make it easy to quickly differentiate the groups from each other. Using common group names like Kitchen or Bedroom will result in appropriate group images to be used.

Other sections of the Alexa app, such as the Communications tab, where you can call, message, or drop-in on Alexa devices, have also been reworked to make them easier to use. The new version of the Alexa app is already available on iOS devices and will surely be coming to Android and Fire devices soon.

8 comments
  1. Ray says:

    Very cool!

    I hope they folded control of the Amazon Wand into this app. The Wand is handled differently than every other Alexa device, so every time the battery needs replacing, I have to go online and re-educate myself on how to reconnect to wifi. Just put it in the Alexa app with every other Amazon device!

  2. Ray says:

    Hmmm, downloaded the latest version available in the App Store. Same old interface. Settings > About says the Client Version is 1.24.203728.0. :/

    • AFTVnews says:

      I guess they’re controlling who gets it and who doesn’t. I have the new interface on iOS and my app has the same exact client number as yours.

      • Ray says:

        Went back to the App Store on my phone, saw the Alexa app had another update, and this time after installation the new Devices tab appeared. Weird since the update says October 4 and the first time I attempted to update it was October 5. But all’s well that ends well.

    • URMyBudE says:

      Use the app version, not the client version. Version history in iOS App Store tracks app version numbers. I manually updated mine to the version issued 2 days ago and it has the device tab changes described in the article. Even after the latest update, the Alexa app still needs more work to improve its user interface.

  3. myklj says:

    Would like to know when android updt is avaialable.

  4. Daniel says:

    Also just noticed you now can control Nest thermostat v2 though a routine.

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