Alexa+ is coming to a lot more Bose speakers and soundbars, and you can use it to pick music, control your home, and even book services with just your voice. Prime members get Alexa+ for free, while everyone else can subscribe for $19.99 per month. The big idea is that you can talk to your Bose speaker in regular, natural sentences and let Alexa+ figure out what you mean, whether you remember the exact song title or not.
Amazon says people are already talking to Alexa+ about twice as much as before, and those conversations are longer and cover more topics. With the Bose rollout, that kind of back-and-forth is expanding from smart displays and Echo devices into home theater systems and wireless speakers. If you already like using voice control for music or smart home gear, this brings those features into higher-end Bose audio setups.
The newest hardware to get Alexa+ is the Bose Lifestyle Ultra Speaker and Soundbar, which come with Alexa+ built in. On those devices, you can ask for “music from that show I watched last week,” playlists that match your mood, or a soundtrack from a specific movie, and let Alexa+ handle the rest. You can also use it for background audio while you do things around the house, like playing an audiobook while you clean or relaxing music while you eat dinner.
One of the bigger upgrades is how Alexa+ handles “I can’t remember the name” music requests. You can say things like, “Alexa, play that famous pop song that has Van Halen in it,” or “Alexa, play that song from that movie where the guy holds up the boombox outside his girlfriend’s house,” and Alexa+ will try to match the description to the track you want. Instead of needing the exact title or artist, you can lean on context, movie scenes, or rough clues and still get to the right song.
Alexa+ on Bose speakers is not just about music, though. You can ask about almost any topic, manage smart home devices, and use voice to handle everyday tasks, like making restaurant reservations or getting cooking help. For example, you can say, “Suggest some vegetarian recipes,” and then follow up with, “Walk me through the first one,” to get step-by-step guidance while you cook. You can also set repeating routines like, “Alexa, every afternoon schedule 30 minutes for meditation time and suggest an ambient music playlist,” turning your speaker into more of a daily planner and home assistant.
Beyond the new Lifestyle Ultra models, Alexa+ is rolling out to a full lineup of Bose products in the U.S. Supported devices include the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, Bose Smart Soundbar 300, 600, and 900, Bose Portable Smart Speaker, Bose Home Speaker 300, 450, and 500, Bose Soundbar 500, 550, and 700, and the Bose Music Amplifier. If you already own one of these and it is Alexa+-enabled, you can go to Amazon’s Alexa page to opt in and start using the new features. Alexa+ access is included with a Prime membership, or you can sign up separately for $19.99 per month, and Amazon says it will also be active on the new Bose speaker starting May 15.
Once set up, your Bose speaker becomes another place where you can use Alexa+ for quick everyday tasks around the house. You can reorder household essentials by voice, ask for ingredient swaps if you are missing something for a recipe, or check on schedules and to-dos without picking up your phone. Paired with high-quality Bose audio, the update turns these speakers and soundbars into full voice-driven hubs for entertainment, home control, and basic errands, all from one spot in your living room or kitchen.
View the original press release.
