In February, Amazon announced a new version of it’s Alexa AI-powered assistant. Along with new features, Amazon shared that it would be launching a web-based version of the tool on Alexa.com. Now, the company is pushing back the launch of that website until after July 31, according to a report from The Washington Post.
Here’s how Amazon described how Alexa+ and Alexa.com will interact, back in February.
Alexa is already available in your home, office, and increasingly your car. Customers will also be able to access Alexa+ in a new mobile app (available in the Apple App Store and Google Play store) and a new browser-based experience at Alexa.com. You can start a conversation with Alexa+ on your Echo device, continue on the go with your phone or in the car, and pick it up on your computer—Alexa+ remembers the context, and can continue the conversation across any of your endpoints.
The website, which currently shows a “coming soon” message, says that when Alexa.com launches, users will be able to “use your Mac or PC to dive deep into topics, have Alexa summarize lengthy emails or documents, draft messages, create images, plan trips or parties and more,” according to the website.
Amazon staff were first told that the estimated launch date of the website would be at the end of June, according to documents reviewed by The Washington Post. Now, managers are telling staff that the launch will be no sooner than July 31.
In a statement to The Washington Post, Amazon spokesperson Lauren Raemhild said: “Customers love that Alexa+ is vastly more conversational and able to handle significantly more complex tasks, and this Early Access phase is really important as we learn how they want to use it, and what they expect.” Raemhild also noted that the launch is not delayed and “will be available with Alexa+ Early Access this summer.”