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Alexa+ is Amazon’s generative-AI assistant, built to remember personal details and take actions across services and devices. The dystopian concern is not proof that every Echo is always sending recordings to Amazon; it is the combination of a discontinued local-processing option for three Echo models and an assistant designed to work with increasingly personal household context.
What is Alexa+?
Amazon announced Alexa+ in February 2025 as a generative-AI version of Alexa. Amazon says it uses large language models available through Amazon Bedrock and coordinates specialized systems it calls “experts.” Its examples include controlling smart-home devices, booking restaurants, ordering groceries, arranging rides or service appointments, and having more conversational interactions with services. Amazon’s Alexa+ announcement describes the product and its rollout.
Amazon’s pitch depends partly on Alexa remembering information users provide. The company says Alexa+ may use details such as purchase and media history, a delivery address, and payment preferences; users can also ask it to remember family recipes, dates, dietary preferences, and other facts. Amazon’s event account describes sharing emails, manuals, recipes, and study materials so Alexa+ can answer questions, summarize information, or add calendar events. Amazon’s 2025 devices-event account provides those examples.
Amazon’s later feature guide also lists conversation summaries sent to the Alexa app or email, personalized reminders, photo searches, generated images and songs, and child-profile controls. Availability varies by device and location; some features require Ring or Amazon Kids+ subscriptions. These are Amazon’s descriptions of product capabilities, not an independent assessment of how each feature handles data. See Amazon’s Alexa+ feature guide.
#1 Best Overall
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
What privacy setting did Amazon remove?
Amazon ended the “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” option effective March 28, 2025. The setting let certain Echo devices process voice commands locally rather than send the audio to Amazon’s cloud. The Associated Press reported that it applied only to U.S. customers with devices set to English, and only on the 4th-generation Echo Dot, Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15. The Associated Press report attributes Amazon’s explanation to generative-AI features that rely on cloud processing.
Amazon told the AP that “less than 0.03% of customers use it.” That is Amazon’s estimate of use of this particular setting, as reported by the AP—not an independent measurement, and not a measure of how many customers care about privacy or want local processing.
Rank #2
- MEET ECHO SHOW 15 - A stunning 15.6" Full-HD (1080p) smart display that's perfect for your kitchen and ready to show you more. Use customizable widgets to keep your day on track, watch your favorite shows with Fire TV and powerful vibrant sound, and enjoy natural video calling, with 3.3x zoom and wide field of view.
- FAMILY ORGANIZATION HUB - See your top widgets at a glance, like your family’s calendars and to-do lists, local weather, smart home, and more.
- ALL YOUR FAVORITES, ALL RIGHT HERE - Built-in Fire TV unlocks endless entertainment, so you can enjoy your favorite content from thousands of apps like Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV, and more (subscription may be required). Fire TV remote included. Plus, now you can quickly add a device to play music with Active Media - start playing a song in the kitchen, then add the living room and bedroom on the fly.
- SMART HOME CENTRAL - Control smart devices with your voice or a few taps using the smart home dashboard. Easily turn on all your living room lights at once or check live camera feeds to see what's happening around your home.
- YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES ON DISPLAY - Brighten your space (and your day) by turning your home screen into a photo slideshow that displays your favorite memories. Auto curate your images and show off your favorite family memories.
Amazon said customers can still choose not to save voice recordings. That addresses storage, not whether audio is sent to the cloud for processing. Turning off recording storage should not be treated as a way to prevent transmission.
Cloud processing and saved recordings are different controls
| Control | What it did or does | Scope or qualification |
|---|---|---|
| “Do Not Send Voice Recordings” | Kept voice-command audio from being sent to Amazon’s cloud by processing it locally. | Discontinued effective March 28, 2025; AP reported it was limited to U.S. English-language configurations on the 4th-generation Echo Dot, Echo Show 10, and Echo Show 15. |
| Choose not to save voice recordings | Prevents recordings from being saved; it does not, by itself, prevent cloud transmission for processing. | AP reported this remains an option. Its report does not provide a complete account of every device, region, or Alexa+ feature’s data flow. |
Amazon said its privacy approach was not changing and cited “the processing power of Amazon’s secure cloud.” That is the company’s statement, not independent proof of security or a guarantee that local processing was unnecessary. The AP report explains the narrow setting change; the available sources do not independently audit all Alexa+ data flows, retention, human review, model-training practices, or security effectiveness.
Rank #3
- New size, more viewing area: The 11“ smart display features a vibrant Full-HD touchscreen with 60% more viewing area versus Echo Show 8 (2025 release), built-in smart home hub, AZ3 Pro chip for powerful performance, and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Content looks and sounds incredible: Watch shows on Prime Video, Netflix, and more on the vibrant Full-HD 11" screen and enjoy room-filling spatial audio, crisper vocals, wider sound stage, and up to 2x bass versus Echo Show 8 (2023 release). With Alexa+, find the name of that song you love and discover new shows based on your preferences.
- Your everyday assistant: The 11" display makes it easy to see recipes and calendars at a glance, find meal inspo, and manage your shopping lists. With Alexa+, find recipes based on foods you love, make reservations, order groceries, and more.
- Simple Smart Home control: Pair and control thousands of devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. Easily view your camera feeds. Manage lights, thermostats, and more using the display or your voice. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature, presence, or visual ID detection.
- Crystal-clear video calls: Video calls feel natural on the vibrant 11" screen with a centered, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom, and noise reduction technology. Use live view to check in on your family, pets, and more while you're away.
Why Alexa+ can feel intrusive
The concern follows from the kind of assistant Amazon says it is building. Remembered family details, shopping preferences, viewing and listening history, delivery information, documents, photos, and recognized household members can make tasks more convenient, but they also make the assistant’s role in a home more personal. The relevant question is not just whether a recording is stored: it is what information a feature uses, where it is processed, and what controls apply to that feature.
Those questions should be answered feature by feature. Amazon’s published descriptions give examples of what Alexa+ can do, but the sources cited here do not establish how every configuration handles every piece of information. They also do not support a blanket claim that all Echo recordings are always sent to the cloud.
Rank #4
- Alexa can show you more - Echo Show 5 includes a 5.5” display so you can see news and weather at a glance, make video calls, view compatible cameras, stream music and shows, and more.
- Small size, bigger sound – Stream your favorite music, shows, podcasts, and more from providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, and Prime Video—now with deeper bass and clearer vocals. Includes a 5.5" display so you can view shows, song titles, and more at a glance.
- Keep your home comfortable – Control compatible smart devices like lights and thermostats, even while you're away.
- See more with the built-in camera – Check in on your family, pets, and more using the built-in camera. Drop in on your home when you're out or view the front door from your Echo Show 5 with compatible video doorbells.
- See your photos on display – When not in use, set the background to a rotating slideshow of your favorite photos. Invite family and friends to share photos to your Echo Show. Prime members also get unlimited cloud photo storage.
Alexa+ also creates a commercial surface
In an August 15, 2025 announcement, Amazon Ads described a U.S.-only test in which sponsored products could appear alongside organic recommendations during Alexa+ product conversations on Echo Show. The test was for sellers and vendors with active Sponsored Products campaigns. It shows that conversational product discovery can include advertising; it does not establish how often ads appear, whether this test remains unchanged, or that recommendations are necessarily based on private household data. Amazon Ads’ announcement describes the test.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Availability and price
Amazon’s announcement page, updated July 21, 2026, lists Alexa+ at $19.99 per month and says it is included for Prime members. It says the service is available to all customers in the United States and Canada, with early access in Brazil, the UK, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and France. Amazon notes that features vary by region. These are Amazon’s stated terms as of that update; rollout and pricing can change. Check Amazon’s current Alexa+ announcement for terms.
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Best Value
- Powerfully smart, beautifully built: The redesigned 8.7" smart display features a vibrant HD touchscreen with 15% more viewing area versus Echo Show 8 (2023 release), built-in smart home hub, AZ3 Pro chip for powerful performance, and Omnisense technology for highly personalized experiences.
- Content sounds incredible: Stream music or watch shows on Prime Video, Netflix, and more. All with room-filling spatial audio, crisper vocals, wider sound stage, and up to 2x bass versus Echo Show 8 (2023 release). With Alexa+, find the name of that song you love and discover new shows based on your preferences.
- Your everyday assistant: See recipes and calendars at a glance, easily find meal inspo and manage your shopping lists. With Alexa+, find recipes based on foods you love, make reservations, order groceries, and more.
- Simple Smart Home control: Pair and control thousands of devices that work with Alexa without needing a separate smart home hub. Easily view your camera feeds. Manage lights, thermostats, and more using the display or your voice. With Omnisense technology, you can activate routines via temperature, presence, or visual ID detection.
- Crystal-clear video calls: Video calls feel natural with a centered, auto-framing camera, 3.3x zoom, and noise reduction technology. Use live view to check in on your family, pets, and more while you're away.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
