Amazon India has marked a significant milestone as its smart assistant, Alexa, completes one year of existence in the country. To commemorate this occasion, Amazon announced the availability of Alexa in Hindi on both Android and iOS smartphones in India.
Expansion to Smartphones
Users can now interact with Alexa in Hindi through the Alexa app installed on their mobile devices. This expansion to smartphones aims to make Alexa more accessible and user-friendly for Hindi-speaking customers across the country.
Enhancements and New Features
Over the past year, Amazon has introduced more than 60 new features to enhance the Hindi-language experience with Alexa. These improvements include the ability to ask Alexa to whisper, adjust her speaking speed, and access new experiences such as health-related information, Hindi definitions of English words, and Audible Suno.
Adoption and User Comfort
Many users, especially those comfortable conversing in Hindi, are opting to purchase Amazon Echo devices for themselves or their parents. The familiarity and ease of speaking in Hindi contribute to the growing adoption of Alexa-enabled devices in Indian households.
Future Developments
Amazon remains committed to enhancing the Hindi-language interactions with Alexa, aiming to make them even more seamless and conversational. The company continues to explore new ways to improve user experience, recognizing that it is still just the beginning of Alexa’s journey in India.
Content Expansion
To enrich the Hindi-language experience, Amazon has introduced six new original songs and poems, along with 20 new stories in Hindi. Users can also enjoy a special message from Alexa by asking, “Alexa, hamari dosti par poem sunao.”
Technological Advancements
The Alexa Speech Science team has made significant advancements in reducing Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) errors by over 40% since the launch of Hindi language support. These advancements leverage deep neural networks, multi-dialect training, and semi-supervised learning techniques.
Music Preferences and Skills
Hindi-speaking users have shown diverse preferences in music, often requesting devotional and spiritual songs alongside Bollywood hits. Amazon has expanded its library of Hindi skills to over 1,000, catering to various interests such as devotional stories, yoga, poetry, and jokes.
Availability
Alexa in Hindi is accessible across the entire range of Amazon Echo smart speakers and Alexa built-in devices offered by other brands. This ensures that users can enjoy the benefits of Alexa’s Hindi language support across different devices and platforms.
As Amazon continues to invest in enhancing the Hindi-language experience with Alexa, users can expect further advancements and a wider array of features tailored to their preferences and needs.
