Amazon’s Echo devices will support calls and messages soon as Amazon has just officially announced the arrival of the Alexa Calling & Messaging feature. While the feature isn’t yet available as Amazon has it listed as “coming soon,” when it does launch it will be supported on devices like the Echo, Echo Dot, and the newly announced Echo Show, which is Amazon’s newest Echo speaker that has a touchscreen integrated into the front of it. You’ll also be able to use Alexa Calling & Messaging from the Alexa app on your smartphone if you’re not near your Echo device and still need to make or receive a call or a message from another user.
With Alexa Calling & Messaging consumers will have another way to make and receive hands-free calls, but the feature is also free to use which makes it possible to communicate with friends and family without having to use voice minutes or messages for those that have limits on the amount they have each month. Of course, users will still need their Echo device or their smartphone with the Alexa app to be connected to the internet to utilize the function, but this is no different from any other similar service that offers calls and messages over data.
If using the calling and messaging from an Echo device, the speakers will light up green around the LED ring at the top of the speaker when calls come in and when initiating a voice call. Similar to other tasks that Alexa is capable of users can simply tell Alexa to call whoever it is they’re trying to reach and the call will start. Alternatively, calls coming in can be picked up simply by saying “Alexa, Answer,” and the same thing can be done for when you want Alexa to hang up a call. Sending messages is just as simple as the speaker and will essentially record a voice message and then send it off just like a text to the Alexa app, or come through to another Echo device. Calling and Messaging can be completed between different Echo devices and the app so no two users will have to have the same device. Amazon’s voice calling and messaging feature was initially rumored back on March 5th, but at the time it wasn’t known which devices would support it.