Why 'PC exclusives' like Amazon's Alexa app for Windows are bad for consumers

Recently, Acer was the first to avowal almost bringing Amazon Alexa to Windows 10 PCs. Other companies, similar Lenovo and HP, are also on lath, with some Alexa placeholders found on the new Lenovo laptops.

Some take seen this equally an opportunity to knock downward Microsoft's Cortana – which is undergoing a shift to be a more than piece of work- and productivity-focused assistant.

Having a choice on PC has always been ane of the hallmarks of the platform, and so everyone should be excited about this expansion by Amazon. But the route Amazon and its partners are taking is just awful, and they should be called out on it.

I'm talking nigh "exclusives."

Alexa is here, Cortana is doomed?

Fans of Microsoft and Cortana have a correct to be salty. The virtual banana had an auspicious start with Windows Phone a few years back, and it seemed like Microsoft could be a leader in this category. But with the demise of Windows Phone and the sheer animal-strength will of Google (and eventually Amazon), Microsoft'southward Cortana quickly fell behind in features and, just as important, regional availability – something that has even so not yet been addressed.

That makes the inflow of Amazon Alexa on Windows 10 particularly impactful. Information technology could also be damaging to Windows users who volition default to Alexa instead of Cortana. At least in theory. Too bad yous must buy a new PC to experience it and fifty-fifty then, the PC available are not the all-time-of-the-bunch (sad, Acer).

Don't celebrate PC exclusives

Cortana'due south new office in Windows ten is more tightly integrated with the OS.

Considering the hatred Cortana has garnered, it is a bit ironic that everyone is glossing over the fact that Amazon Alexa is non widely bachelor for download through Amazon or the Microsoft Store.

Acer appear this week that its new Spin iii, Spin v, Nitro 5 Spin, and some of its all-in-ones (AIO) will get Alexa "over the coming weeks." That means to experience Alexa you need to purchase a new laptop.

Similarly, HP is putting Alexa in its Pavilion Wave desktop and Envy AIO with a 34-inch curved display. Lenovo has a "coming presently" on its latest premium business laptops, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad X1 Yoga.

Dell and Razer accept not announced any plans for Alexa, and ASUS has a vaguely worded press release nigh its forthcoming ZenBooks and VivoBooks.

Not surprisingly, Microsoft has not revealed plans to bring Alexa to its Surface line.

This is non a full-frontal assault on Cortana on the PC. It's a weak-handed, slow rollout meant to become yous to buy a new PC in what is essentially a flat-market. Fifty-fifty the selection of PCs with Alexa coming is rather uninspiring.

There are two reasons why Amazon Alexa is only on "selected devices," neither of which is satisfactory:

Amazon Alexa is so complicated that it needs more profound, more sophisticated driver support that's not standard in Windows ten, requiring OEM intervention to go far work.
PC partners and Amazon are purposefully limiting its rollout instead of releasing the Alexa app to the Microsoft Shop (or just on Amazon's site as a download).

The first excuse is unlikely. Perchance Alexa does something so crazy on Windows x PC that manufacturers need to craft up dissimilar BIOS firmware or drivers to make information technology piece of work. If that's the example, that is a terrible way to roll out a new product if the want is to hit critical mass. Plus, Amazon has done exactly zero to demonstrate this amazing feat.

The other is plausible. Just exercise PC partners await people to purchase a new PC just for Amazon Alexa? The idea that suddenly someone is going to purchase an HP Pavilion – a specific Pavilion at that – so that they can play some music on their PC, or ask how deep the G Coulee is, seems dumb.

And what does Amazon Alexa on PC fifty-fifty do? Assuming it's no more than than the app for Android, information technology can play music, tell yous the weather, give news updates, and run some triggers for your very niche smart dwelling house setup. Meh.

Every bit someone who owns an Amazon Echo, I tend to by and large apply the bodily speaker hardware to utilize Alexa, not its app, for the aforementioned reason as many: information technology doesn't integrate with my Android devices. Information technology's a visual front-end at well-nigh.

You deserve more than

I'k all for Amazon Alexa beingness on Windows 10 PC. I desire it so bad I don't want feeble hardware "exclusives."

If Amazon Alexa aims to be the end-all assistants on Windows PC, it needs to demonstrate that. Considering in that location are 700 1000000 Windows ten PCs, that shouldn't be as well challenging. Amazon could, you lot know, release it to everyone who wants information technology.

Microsoft'due south Cortana is trying to forge its path every bit an banana weaved through the Bone and not necessarily compete in the same infinite equally Amazon Alexa or Google Home. That'due south probably a smart selection, only we also must see something useful that Amazon Alexa tin do on PC. So far, Amazon has failed to establish that.

Every bit far as we know, there's no OS integration, and it doesn't piece of work with any other apps, it doesn't command the PC in any way, it's just a visual helper-app for your Alexa home speaker.

The Amazon Alexa app has the ten-1000000 download bluecoat in the Google Play store. But that's also the same (or similar) number as Microsoft Launcher for Android. And both stake in comparison to the ane-billion marking for Microsoft Skype on Android.

Whether you lot prefer Alexa to Cortana, both administration demand to be more than than they are now. The fact is, they're both weak competitors trying to stay alive confronting Google Dwelling house.

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