Huawei released the Huawei Mate 9 a few months ago, and it has been met with quite a lot of praise. At CES, Huawei promised that the phone would have Alexa support in the near future. That future has arrived, as Huawei has announced that an OTA update is starting today to bring Amazon’s A.I. assistant to your phone. It’s pretty obvious that just about everybody loves Alexa, and she is coming to more and more devices every day. Mate 9 users should start to see the update hitting their phone any day now by way of an OTA update.
The update will come by way of the Huawei Alexa app, which will allow Mate 9 users to access many of Alexa’s great features via voice control directly from their phone. This can be particularly helpful for any home automation that you might have, simply ask Alexa to turn off the lights that you forgot to switch off before leaving for work, adjust the temperature before you leave the office, or any other connected smart home appliances.
Users will not be able to invoke Alexa by voice alone, they will need to open the app first. This minor inconvenience aside, Alexa should work just as she does on your Amazon Echo Dot or any other Alexa-enabled hardware. There are a couple of skills that won’t be supported right out of the gate, but Huawei and Amazon are working to have those up and going on your Mate 9 as soon as possible.
Are you a Huawei Mate 9 user? Are you excited to be getting Alexa support directly on your phone? Are you considering a Mate 9 now that Alexa is coming to the party? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
You can read more about the upcoming Alexa integration in the full press release below.
FULL PRESS RELEASE
Amazon Alexa Now Available on Huawei Mate 9
Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa gives consumers access to Alexa Voice Service on-the-go
PLANO, Texas, March 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the highly-acclaimed Huawei Mate 9 includes Amazon Alexa. Delivering on a promise made at CES in January, over-the-air (OTA) updates will commence today, pushing the Huawei Alexa app to Mate 9 customers in the United States.
“At CES we shared that Amazon Alexa would come to the Mate 9,” said Zhendong Zhu, president, Huawei Device USA. “With the new Huawei Alexa app, we add intelligent voice control to the rich features already available on Mate 9. We look forward to collaborating with Amazon to further develop more voice-activated mobile experiences.”
“We’re excited to bring Amazon Alexa to the Huawei Mate 9, helping customers easily perform everyday tasks while on the go – using just their voice,” said Steve Rabuchin, vice president of Amazon Alexa. “From controlling their smart home and checking the news to shopping and listening to Audible content, we think customers are going to love interacting with Alexa while on the go. We can’t wait for customers to try this out.”
Huawei Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa
Using the Huawei Alexa app on Mate 9, consumers can bring Amazon Alexa with them, taking advantage of its natural user interface. Since Alexa was designed based on the assumption that users are not looking at a screen, it is a primarily voice-driven experience, ideal for people on the go.
The Huawei Alexa app offers mobile access to features and scenarios consumers expect from Amazon Alexa including:
- Home Automation: Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa makes it possible to manage your smart home even when you’re on-the-go by controlling lights, thermostats, locks, fans, sprinklers and more.
- Games/Trivia: Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa can make every trip more entertaining with games like Jeopardy, Magic Door and Twenty Questions.
- Shopping: Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa makes it easy to get more done using just your voice — Quickly create lists, order items to be sent to your home, get food delivered or have your favorite coffee ready with Amazon voice shopping, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Dominos, Amazon Prime restaurants, and more.
- Fitness/Health: Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa helps travelers stay fit with access to skills like 7-Minute Workout, FitBit and Stop, Breathe & Think.
- News: Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa is a convenient way to stay informed with access to news anytime via Flash Briefings from NPR, CNBC, Reuters, Fox News, The Skimm, WSJ, AP, BBC, CNN, and many more.
- Entertainment: Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa puts entertainment in reach with access to a wide array of podcasts and Audible content.
To use Alexa voice commands on Mate 9, users must first initiate the Huawei Alexa app. Once the app is launched, users can ask Alexa various things, including:
- Get information by asking about famous people, dates, and places
- Find a restaurant, movie or local business
- Order from Amazon Prime
- Control connected smart home features such as lights, temperature and appliances
- Hear weather or traffic updates
- Check your calendar
- Hear the news through personalized Flash Briefings
Alexa has more than 10,000 skills, and new Alexa skills are added all the time, delivering even more capabilities. However, not all capabilities will be applicable at this time, including Timer/Alarms, Music and Tunein (in flash briefing), but these abilities will come later this year.
