Category: 4. Technology

Since its arrival in 2014, Alexa has changed drastically from the voice assistant that was originally released. Instead of being an easier way to trigger music, or add to your to-do list, it’s now an effective tool for managing all the different parts of your busy life. With the addition of new AI-powered features from Alexa Plus, your favorite voice assistant is more capable than ever. 

From organizing your schedule to controlling smart devices, Alexa can help simplify your daily routine and bring a new level of convenience to your space. Whether you want to automate chores, manage your Fire TV, or just streamline your mornings, these advanced voice commands make Alexa a compelling tool in any connected home. If you haven’t explored what it can do lately, now’s a good time to see how much more useful it’s become with AI-powered features now available.

Though a recent CNET survey found that 73% of US adults using home voice assistants have privacy concerns about AI integrations, Alexa was the most trusted voice assistant among respondents.

Want to unlock Alexa’s full potential? You just need to learn the right commands. If you have an Echo device at home, here’s a complete guide to all the voice commands worth trying.

Newest Amazon Alexa commands

Amazon recently launched Alexa Plus, a major AI-powered upgrade to its voice assistant. This new version brings significantly improved conversational abilities and smart home control. The upgrade costs $19.99 monthly but is free for Amazon Prime subscribers. The upgraded system, first demoed back in 2023, can handle more complex requests, remember personal details and perform multiple actions through natural conversation. With these spring cleaning and organization features, Alexa+ aims to make managing your home more intuitive than ever. Notable new commands include:

• “Alexa, remember my frequent flyer number is 123456789” allows Alexa+ to store important personal details for future reference. You can replace the “xxx” with any personal information you want it to store.
• “Alexa, play the music upstairs” or “Alexa, play music everywhere except the baby’s room” enables seamless music control across multiple rooms.
• “Alexa, I’m chilly” demonstrates how Alexa+ can now understand implied commands, automatically turning up your thermostat without direct instructions.
• “Alexa, show me all the footage of the dogs in the backyard this week” integrates with Ring’s Smart Video Search to find specific moments in your security footage.
• “Alexa, what’s playing now on Fire TV?” connects your Echo devices with your Fire TV for enhanced media control.

Prior to that, Amazon had announced new hardware products while also talking up a few new additions to the already vast Alexa commands library, including:

• The “Hey, Disney” command, which allows you to get information and play around with some of Disney’s most beloved characters, will unlock features with Disney’s Magic Band Plus to play game-show style trivia games and more.
• With the new premium $35 Alexa Voice Remote Pro, you can say “Alexa, find my remote” into any Echo device you own (or the dedicated Remote Finder button in the Fire TV app) to play a sound from your remote, making it easier to find when it’s lost.
• The 3rd-gen Fire TV Cube also has a few new Alexa commands, like “Alexa, watch ESPN on cable” so that you don’t have to manually change inputs on your TV, and if you have a compatible webcam that you can connect into the Fire TV Cube, you can say something like “Alexa, call dad” to video call friends and family on your TV.
• Amazon also announced the second-generation Amazon Echo Auto, which drivers can use to play music, make calls and even talk with an agent to request help by saying, “Hey Alexa, call roadside assistance.”
• If you’re into shopping, you can say something like “Alexa, show me the green-pleated skirt” to find specific clothing items using the Shop the Look feature, which you can also use for home and beauty products.
• Using Amazon to make purchases from Whole Foods for curbside pickup? You can say “Alexa, check into Whole Foods” to let the grocery store know you’re there.
• And if you want to turn on a light or some other smart home device, you can now schedule it. For example, you can say “Hey Alexa, turn off the kitchen lights in 5 minutes.”

Summoning Alexa

By default, Amazon’s connected speakers all have the same wake word. To cue up a request, just say, “Alexa.” You can change the wake word to something else if, say, your own name is Alexa, or you’d just prefer an alternative. You can also trigger your smart assistant with Amazon, Echo or Computer. To change it, in the Alexa app go to Settings then Device Settings then select the Echo device you’d like to change the wake word on (you have to change each device’s settings individually).

If you have an Amazon Tap, Dash Wand or the Amazon Fire TV voice remote, you’ll need to press a button to wake Alexa. Amazon updated the Tap with a hands-free mode that you must enable in the settings. The only wake word available to the Amazon Tap is Alexa.

There’s also a feature called Follow-Up Mode that makes it easier and faster to issue multiple commands to Alexa without having to keep repeating the wake word, if you enable it. When you do, Alexa will continue to listen for another command after it’s completed your first request. You can keep issuing more commands until you’re done or you say, “Stop.”

Amazon has also built on this a multiple commands feature by allowing you to string two related commands into one. You can say something like, “Alexa, play folk music at volume six,” or, “Alexa, add bread, milk and eggs to my shopping list.” 

Other places you can access Alexa

While the most obvious or natural way to use Alexa may be through an Echo speaker from Amazon, it’s not the only way you can call up Amazon’s digital assistant. 

In fact, there are more and more ways to access Alexa being created all the time, and you don’t even need any specialized devices. Here are some of the most prominent ways to use Alexa with the devices you already have:

You can enable the mobile apps to listen for Alexa when they’re open (this will, however, disable your phone from listening for its native digital assistant’s wake word — i.e. “Hey, Siri” or “Hey, Google” won’t work while you have the Alexa app open). Otherwise, you can tap the Alexa icon to call up the assistant.

On an updated Windows computer, you can summon Cortana and say, “Open Alexa.” After the initial connection is made, saying this will cue up Amazon’s assistant through Cortana.

Alexa Echo Auto allows you to connect your phone to Alexa in your car. The Echo Auto is capable of carrying out many of the same commands and features as your home device, but with some restrictions (it won’t unlock your doors, for example).

The complete list of Alexa commands

The list of Alexa commands is expansive and grows with every new service or device it supports. Alexa isn’t perfect, but it’s pretty great at understanding natural language, so you don’t always have to speak the commands exactly as you see them below. Many commands work when worded several different ways or even with words omitted.

When you consider the possible third-party commands through Skills — essentially the apps of Amazon’s Alexa — the list goes on even further. To learn what individual skills are capable of, visit the skill’s page from the Amazon Alexa app or alexa.amazon.com.

Here are all the native Alexa commands.

Basic Alexa commands

• Ask for help: “Alexa, help.”
• Mute or unmute: “Alexa, mute” or, “Alexa, unmute.”
• Stop or pause: “Alexa, stop” or, “Alexa, shut up.”
• Change volume: “Alexa, set the volume to 5,” “Alexa, louder” or, “Alexa, turn up/down the volume.”

Alexa commands for Echo Show

The Echo Show devices and Echo Spot are the only Echo speakers with touchscreen displays. This means you can tell them to show you things.

• Ask for what the Echo Show can display: “Alexa, what can you show me?”
• Show your calendar: “Alexa, show my calendar.”
• Show pictures: “Alexa, show my photos” or, “Alexa, show me pictures of cats.”
• View your cameras or other rooms: “Alexa, show the living room camera.”
• View movie trailers: “Alexa, show me the trailer for Wakanda Forever.”
• Movie showtimes: “Alexa, show me movie showtimes.”
• View the forecast: “Alexa, show me the weekend forecast.”
• Play YouTube videos: “Alexa, show me travel videos on YouTube.”
• Display recipes: “Alexa, show me a slow cooker recipe from Allrecipes.”
• View your Flash Briefing: “Alexa, play my video Flash Briefing.”
• See your timers: “Alexa, show me my timers.”
• Open a visual skill: “Alexa, open Uber.”

Alexa commands for Fire TV and Fire TV Stick

You can now use compatible Echo devices (Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Look, Echo Show and Amazon Tap) to control your Fire TV and Fire TV Sticks.

• Control Fire TV: “Alexa, [pause, play, resume, stop, fast-forward, rewind] on Fire TV.”
• Search movies or TV: “Alexa, search for [movie to TV show title] on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, find [movie or TV show title] on Fire TV.”
• Find work by a certain actor: “Alexa, show me titles with [actor] on Fire TV.”
• Open apps: “Alexa, open [app name] on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, launch [app name] on Fire TV.”
• Return home: “Alexa, return home.”

Alexa commands for Fire TV Edition televisions

Amazon also builds its Fire TV operating system into televisions like the Element EL4KAMZ17 series. All of the commands above work on those too, in addition to a few TV-specific commands below.

• Turn on or off the TV: “Alexa, turn on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, turn off Fire TV.”
• Change the volume of Fire TV: “Alexa, set the volume to [level] on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, turn [up/down] the volume on Fire TV.”
• Mute Fire TV: “Alexa, [mute/unmute] Fire TV.”
• Change the channel when watching an antenna: “Alexa, go to [channel or network name] on Fire TV.”
• Change inputs: “Alexa, switch to PlayStation on Fire TV” or, “Alexa, switch to HDMI 1 on Fire TV.”
• Open antenna program guide: “Alexa, open TV guide on Fire TV.”

Alexa commands to control media

• Adjust audio settings: “Alexa, set the bass to four.”
• Play music: “Alexa, play some music.”
• Play music on other (or multiple) Alexa devices: “Alexa, play [artist/album/song/genre] in the living room” or, “Alexa, play [music] everywhere.”
• Cue specific song or artist: “Alexa, play music by [artist].”
• Play a song based on context: “Alexa, play the latest Avett Brothers album” or, “Alexa, play that song that goes ‘Gotta gotta be down, because I want it all.’”
• Play music based on a theme: “Alexa, play baby-making music” or, “Alexa, play rock music for working.”
• Play the song of the day: “Alexa, play the song of the day.”
• Play Spotify music: “Alexa, play on Spotify.”
• Play Pandora station: “Alexa, play [artist] station on Pandora.”
• Play a radio station: “Alexa, play [radio station call letters, example: WEBN].”
• Play an audiobook: “Alexa, play Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices on Audible,” “Alexa, read Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices” or, “Alexa, play the book, Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices.”
• Resume the last played audiobook: “Alexa, resume my book.”
• Skip audiobook chapters: “Alexa, next chapter” or, “Alexa, previous chapter.”
• Play a bedtime story: “Alexa, open Storytime.”
• Listen to Alexa read you a Kindle book: “Alexa, read my Kindle book.”
• Set a sleep timer: “Alexa set a sleep timer for 45 minutes” or, “Alexa, stop playing in 45 minutes.”
• Song information: “Alexa, what’s playing?”
• Music controls: “Alexa, play” or, “Alexa, next.”
• Control music playback on another Alexa speaker: “Alexa, stop in the kitchen” or, “Alexa, next in the office.”
• Restart song: “Alexa, restart.”
• Add a song to your Prime Music library: “Alexa, add this song.”
• Create a playlist in Amazon Music: “Alexa, create a new playlist,” or, “Alexa, create a ‘Friday Chill’ playlist.”
• Add a song to a playlist in Amazon Music: “Alexa, add this song to my playlist,” or, “Alexa, add this to my playlist.”
• Like or dislike a song on Pandora and iHeartRadio: “Alexa, I like this song” or, “Alexa, thumbs down.”
• Start Amazon Music Unlimited trial: “Alexa, start my free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited.”
• “Alexa, wake me up every day at 8 a.m. to music” allows users to set their mornings off right with music from Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio and Vevo.

Alexa commands to control time and dates

• Set an alarm: “Alexa, set an alarm for 7 a.m.” or, “Alexa, wake me up at 7 in the morning.”
• Set a music alarm: “Alexa, wake me up to [artist, song, genre, playlist or album] at 8 a.m.,” “Alexa, set an alarm to Band of Horses” or, “Alexa, wake me up to Kiss FM on TuneIn.”
• Set a repeating alarm: “Alexa, set a repeating alarm for weekdays at 7 a.m.”
• Set a timer: “Alexa, timer” or, “Alexa, set a timer for 15 minutes.”
• Set a music timer: “Alexa, set a 15-minute timer to My Heart will Go On”
• Create a named timer: “Alexa, set a pizza timer for 20 minutes.”
• Set multiple timers: “Alexa, set a second timer for 5 minutes.”
• Check timer status: “Alexa, how much time is left on the pizza timer?” or, “Alexa, what are my timers?”
• Cancel a timer: “Alexa, cancel the pizza timer” or, “Alexa, cancel the 15-minute timer.”
• Ask the time: “Alexa, what time is it?”
• Ask the date: “Alexa, what’s the date?”
• Ask when the next alarm is: “Alexa, when’s my next alarm?”
• Cancel an alarm: “Alexa, cancel my alarm for 2 p.m.”
• Snooze alarm: “Alexa, snooze.”
• Check dates: “Alexa, when is [holiday] this year?”

Alexa commands for calls and messaging

You can make calls and leave voicemails to other Echo users, as well as “Drop In” to your own echo devices, either to voice or video chat with whoever’s in the room (or just to monitor the space like a security camera). If you have an Android, you can send text messages with Alexa. 

• Call another Echo user: “Alexa, call [name].”
• Answer an incoming call: “Alexa, answer the call” or, “Alexa, answer.”
• Hang up: “Alexa, hang up” or, “Alexa, end the call.”
• Message another Echo user: “Alexa, message [name]” or, “Alexa, send [name] a message.”
• Play messages: “Alexa, play messages.”
• Send an SMS: “Alexa, send an SMS to [contact name]” or, “Alexa, send an SMS.”
• Use Drop In on one of your own devices: “Alexa, drop in on the living room.”
• Drop In on another user (requires the other user to allow you to Drop In anytime): “Alexa, drop in on [name].”
• Turn off the video during an ongoing call (only works with Echo Show): “Alexa, turn video off.”
• Make an announcement: “Alexa, announce it’s dinner time,” “Alexa, broadcast it’s time to go” or, “Alexa, tell everyone good night.”
• Number check: “Alexa, open phone number check” → “tell me about 301-555-5555” or “please provide information about 301-555-5555.”

Alexa commands for purchasing

• Reorder essentials from Amazon: “Alexa, buy more deodorant” or, “Alexa, reorder deodorant.”
• Track packages from Amazon: “Alexa, where’s my stuff?” or, “Alexa, track my order.”
• Order an Amazon Alexa device: “Alexa, order an Echo,” “Alexa, order an Echo Dot” or, “Alexa, order an Amazon Tap.”
• Add an item to your cart: “Alexa, add garbage bags to my cart.”
• Order an Uber or Lyft with their skills: “Alexa, ask Uber to request a ride” or, “Alexa, ask Lyft for a ride.”
• While listening to music in Amazon Music: “Alexa, buy this song” or, “Alexa, buy this album.”
• Find new music to purchase: “Alexa, shop for new music by [artist].”
• Purchase a song or album from an artist: “Alexa, buy [song or album] by [artist].”
• Ask about deals: “Alexa, what are your deals?”
• For good recommendations on products, Alexa has you covered. Just say “Alexa, find me a good smartphone on Amazon,” and it will find products based on Amazon customer ratings and reviews.

Alexa commands to control notifications

To turn on notifications, open the Alexa app and select to Settings, then Notifications, then Shopping Notifications and toggle it on. Your Echo speakers will light up yellow when you have new notifications.

• Check missed notifications: “Alexa, what did I miss?” “Alexa, read my notifications” or, “Alexa, what are my notifications?”
• Navigate through notifications: “Alexa, next” or, “Alexa, previous.”
• Delete notifications: “Alexa, delete all of my notifications.”

Alexa commands for to-do and shopping lists

• Add task to to-do list: “Alexa, add ‘go to the grocery store’ to my to-do list” or, “Alexa, I need to make an appointment with the doctor.”
• Create a new to-do item: “Alexa, create a to-do.”
• Check calendar events: “Alexa, what’s on my calendar for tomorrow?”
• Add an event to a calendar: “Alexa, add [event] to my calendar for [day] at [time]” or, “Alexa, add an event to my calendar.”
• Move a calendar event: “Alexa, move my meeting from 12 to 3.”
• Create a shopping list: “Alexa, add eggs to my shopping list” or, “Alexa, I need to buy laundry detergent.”
• Check your shopping list: “Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?”
• Create a reminder: “Alexa, reminder” or, “Alexa, remind me to check the oven in 5 minutes.”
• Check on existing reminders: “Alexa, what are my reminders this weekend?” or, “Alexa, what reminders do I have tomorrow?”
• Donate money to your favorite charity by saying “Alexa, make a donation to American Cancer Institute Inc.” or any number of approved charities.
• Want to check your American Express balance? Just say “Alexa, open Amex,” and look at your account.

Alexa commands for news and weather

• Ask for your Flash Briefing: “Alexa, what’s my Flash Briefing?”
• Add music news to your Flash Briefing: “Alexa, enable Today in Music.”
• Check headlines: “Alexa, what’s in the news?”
• Check weather: “Alexa, what’s the weather like?” or, “Alexa, will it rain today?” You can also ask “Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?”
• Get a weather forecast: “Alexa, what’s the weather going to be like this weekend?
• Get traffic information: “Alexa, what’s my commute look like?” or, “Alexa, what’s traffic like?”

Entertainment-related Alexa commands

• Find movies in nearby theaters: “Alexa, what movies are playing?” or, “Alexa, what action movies are playing tonight?”
• Get information on movies playing: “Alexa, tell me about the movie Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices.”
• Get movie quotes: “Give me a [movie] quote.”
• Get IMDb rating: “Alexa, what is the IMDb rating for [movie or TV show]?”
• Get casting for a movie or show: “Alexa, who plays in [movie or TV show]?”
• Find out who an actor is: “Alexa, who plays [character] in [movie or TV show]?”
• Find an actor’s latest work: “Alexa, what is [actor]’s latest movie?”
• Find out who sings a particular song: “Who sings the song Ultimate Alexa Command Guide: 200+ Voice Commands to Take Control of Your Echo Devices?”
• Get the names of band members: “Who is in the band [name]?”
• Get album information: “What year did [band] release [song or album]?”
• Find popular music from an artist: “Alexa, what’s popular from [artist]?”
• Sample music from an artist: “Alexa, sample songs by [artist].”
• Find a particular album or song: “Alexa, find [song or album] by [artist].”

Alexa commands for food and businesses

• Get a recipe: “Alexa, how do you make chocolate chip cookies?”
• Discover nearby restaurants: “Alexa, find me a nearby pizza restaurant” or, “Alexa, what’s the nearest coffee shop?”
• Get operating hours or a phone number for local businesses: “Alexa, find the address for Bank of America” or, “Alexa, find business hours for Harris Teeter.”
• Saying “Alexa, open Wine Finder” lets Alexa help you match the best vino with your meal. If you tell Alexa you’re eating shrimp, it will tell you the best wine.

Alexa commands for help with math

• Convert units: “Alexa, how many [units] are in [units]?”
• Convert units: “Alexa, how many [units] are in 2 [units]?”
• Basic math: “Alexa, what’s 5 plus 7?” or, “Alexa, what’s 56 times 33?”
• Advanced math: “Alexa, 70 factorial.” (Warning: Alexa will list numbers you didn’t know existed for about a minute.)

Alexa commands that can settle a score

• Roll a die: “Alexa, roll a die” or, “Alexa, roll a 26-sided die.”
• Flip a coin: “Alexa, flip a coin.”
• Pick a number: “Alexa, pick a number between 1 and 50.”

Alexa commands for help with definitions and spelling

• Get the definition of a word: “Alexa, what’s the definition of [word]?”
• Get the spelling of a word: “Alexa, how do you spell [word]?”

Sports-related Alexa commands

• Check the results of a finished game: “Alexa, what was the score of the [team] game?”
• Ask if a team won: “Alexa, did the [team] win?”
• Ask when the next game is scheduled: “Alexa, when do the [team] play next?”
• Find out the results of your favorite teams: “Alexa, give me my Sports Update.”
• Get Fantasy Football update with the Yahoo Fantasy Football skill: “Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football for a score update” or, “Alexa, ask Yahoo Fantasy Football if Patrick Mahomes is playing this week.”
• Get league standings: “Alexa, what are the MLB standings?”

Alexa commands for Voicecast

• Send current listening to a Fire tablet: “Alexa, send that to my Fire tablet.”
• Send to a different profile’s Fire tablet: “Alexa, show this on [name]’s Fire tablet.”

Alexa commands for your smart home

Alexa can integrate with loads of smart home platforms, such as SmartThings, Philips Hue, Wink, Insteon, Lutron, Belkin WeMo and many more. Some require you to enable skills, and some don’t. 

Here is a selection of the commands you can use for controlling your smart home, although there are dozens more.

• Turn lights on or off: “Alexa, turn on the lights” or, “Alexa, turn off the living room lights.”
• Dim the lights: “Alexa, dim the lights to 50%.”
• Change the color of the lights: “Alexa, make the living room lights red” or, ” Alexa, turn the lights to soft white.”
• Change the color temperature of the lights: “Alexa, make the kitchen lights a little warmer.”
• Adjust temperature: “Alexa, raise the temperature 1 degree.”
• Set temperature: “Alexa, set the temperature to 72.”
• Lock your doors: “Alexa, lock my back door.”
• Close your garage door: “Alexa, ask Garageio to close my garage.”
• Discover smart home devices: “Alexa, discover my devices.”
• Use IFTTT recipes: “Alexa, trigger [IFTTT recipe].”
• Activate a scene (limited to Control4, Insteon, Lutron Caséta Wireless, Philips Hue, SmartThings and Wink): “Alexa, turn on Movie Time” or, “Alexa, turn on Bedtime.”
• Control GE appliances with the Geneva skill: “Alexa, tell Geneva to preheat my oven to 400 degrees” or, “Alexa, ask Geneva if my laundry is dry.”
• Locate a lost phone with the TrackR Lost My Phone skill: “Alexa, ask TrackR to find my phone.”
• Control the TV via Harmony hub: “Alexa, turn on the TV” or, “Alexa, turn on Netflix.”
• The Polk Command Bar has Alexa embedded in its soundbar that provides great sound quality.
• Saying “Alexa, run Away Mode” produces conversations to scare off any potential burglars.
• Alexa Guard can help keep your home safe by alerting you when it picks up the sounds of smoke alarms or breaking glass. It works with the Amazon smart door bell, a Ring and an ADT security system. To set this feature, simply say “Alexa, I’m leaving.”

Use Alexa commands with Bluetooth

• Pair a Bluetooth device: “Alexa, pair” or “Alexa, Bluetooth.”
• Connect to a Bluetooth device: “Alexa, connect to my phone.”
• Disconnect from a Bluetooth device: “Alexa, disconnect from my phone.”

Alexa commands for profiles and user accounts

• Switch profiles: “Alexa, switch accounts.”
• Check which profile is active: “Alexa, which profile is this?”

Use Alexa commands with Skills

Skills are third-party applications for Alexa speakers. They allow you to connect third-party software and hardware to your speaker, as well as play games and add different news sources to your Flash Briefing. Originally, they had to be enabled before you could use them, but Amazon has since made that process automatic (just ask for the Skill and it will enable when it’s used).

• Use a skill: “Alexa, open Earplay.”
• Find kid’s skills: “Alexa, what kid’s skills do you have?
• Enable skills: “Alexa, enable Jeopardy!”
• Disable skills: “Alexa, disable Domino’s.”
• Bartender skill gives you access to more than 12,000 cocktail recipes: “Alexa, open the bartender.”

Use Alexa commands with Cortana

Microsoft’s Cortana is available as a skill — but rather than just being a skill, it opens the door to a completely separate digital assistant through your Alexa speakers. 

Once you’ve added the skill, enabled permissions and connected your Microsoft and Amazon accounts, just say, “Alexa, open Cortana.” When you’re speaking to Cortana you can check your emails, ask for the next event on your calendar or add items to your to-do list.

For now, the Cortana skill is limited because it’s a public preview of what the full integration will be in the future.

Search using Alexa commands 

• Get Wikipedia information: “Alexa, Wikipedia: [subject].”
• Tell Alexa to continue reading a Wikipedia entry: “Alexa, tell me more.”
• Ask a general question: “Alexa, how tall is [person or object’s name]?”
• Ask Quora a question: “Alexa, ask Quora if crustaceans feel pain when you boil them.”
• Get a Game of Thrones quote: “Alexa, give me a Game of Thrones quote.”
• Whether it’s a bull or a bear market, you can check your stock values by saying, “Alexa, ask Opening Bell for Microsoft” (or any other publicly traded company).

Holiday-related Alexa commands

• Find out when a holiday is: “Alexa, when is [holiday]?”
• Holiday limerick: “Alexa, tell me a holiday limerick.”
• Learn about a holiday: “Alexa, why do we celebrate [holiday]?”
• Ask about Santa: “Alexa, how old is Santa Claus?” “Alexa, is Santa Claus real?” or, “Alexa, where does Santa Claus live?”
• Ask about Santa’s reindeer: “Alexa, who’s your favorite reindeer?” “Alexa, what can you tell me about Santa’s reindeer?” or, “Alexa, what do you know about Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer?”
• Track Santa: “Alexa, where is Santa?” or, “Alexa, track Santa.”
• Sing a Christmas carol: “Alexa, sing a Christmas carol.”
• Have Alexa read “The Night Before Christmas”: “Alexa, read “The Night Before Christmas.”
• Spin the dreidel: “Alexa, spin the dreidel.”
• Ask for holiday jokes: “Alexa, open my gift,” “Alexa, how ugly is your/my holiday sweater?” or, “Alexa, tell me a snowman joke.”
• Ask for holiday movies?: “Alexa, what’s your favorite holiday movie?” or, “Alexa, what are the top holiday movies?” 

Easter eggs for your Amazon Echo

Alexa comes chock-full of Easter eggs and jokes — the list is long. We cover the strange world of Alexa Easter eggs here, noting some of the more popular or prominent commands that prompt a snarky or humorous response.

• “Alexa, give me an Easter egg.”
• “Alexa, good morning.”
• “Alexa, tell me a joke.”
• “Alexa, beam me up.”
• “Alexa, set phasers to kill.”
• “Alexa. Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.”
• “Alexa, my name is Inigo Montoya.”
• “Alexa, I want the truth.”
• “Alexa, party on, Wayne.”
• “Alexa, show me the money.”
• “Alexa, what’s the first (or second) rule of Fight Club?”
• “Alexa, surely you can’t be serious.”
• “Alexa, are you SkyNet?”
• “Alexa, party time!”
• “Alexa, open the pod bay doors.”
• “Alexa, when am I going to die?”
• “Alexa, what is your quest?”
• “Alexa, nice to see you, to see you…”
• “Alexa, don’t mention the war.”
• “Alexa, this is a dead parrot.”
• “Alexa, what is your cunning plan?”

For even more, check out this Reddit thread dedicated to Alexa Easter eggs.

More Alexa-centric recommendations 

iOS 26 adds new functionality to the AirPods, which will be available this fall when Apple releases ‌iOS 26‌ and new AirPods firmware to the public.

Camera Remote

The AirPods can be used as a camera remote for the Camera app or third-party iOS camera apps. Just connect your AirPods to your iPhone, open the Camera app, and then press and hold on the AirPods stem to take a photo or start a video recording.

When you’re finished, a second press and hold gesture will stop the recording. If you have an Apple Watch, you can already control your ‌iPhone‌ remotely from your wrist, but the AirPods have the potential to be even quicker since it’s a physical gesture rather than a series of steps that include opening an Apple Watch app.

Studio-Quality Recording

The AirPods 4 and the AirPods Pro 2 support recording studio-quality audio for interviews, podcasts, songs, videos, and more. Apple says that the feature can be used to record high-quality vocals while on the go, with background sounds filtered out thanks to Voice Isolation.

You can record higher-quality audio when making videos or using your devices to do things like record a podcast.

Improved Audio Quality

The H2 chip in the ‌AirPods 4‌ and ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 brings more natural vocal texture and clarity to ‌iPhone‌ calls, FaceTime calls, and all CallKit-enabled apps like Zoom.

Studio-quality audio recording and improved call quality are available across ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac, and support the Camera app, Voice Memos, Messages dictation, third-party camera apps, and video conferencing apps.

Beta Updates

With ‌iOS 26‌, Apple is adding an option to more easily install beta updates on AirPods. There’s a new update interface when you connect your AirPods to your ‌iPhone‌ and tap into them in the Settings app.

Pause Audio for Sleep

If you’re listening to music, a podcast, or a book while you’re in bed and you’re wearing AirPods, the AirPods will pause your audio when you fall asleep if you toggle on the new “Pause Media When Falling Asleep” option.

You’ll find it in the AirPods settings after connecting your AirPods to your ‌iPhone‌, but you’ll need the new AirPods firmware and ‌iOS 26‌. In addition to saving your spot in an audiobook or podcast, it will also preserve battery by turning your AirPods off so they’re not running all night.

This feature also works with Beats earbuds.

Keep Audio in Headphones

‌iOS 26‌ addresses an irritating issue that happens with CarPlay and AirPods. There’s a new “Keep Audio in Headphones” option that prevents audio from switching to car speakers or Bluetooth speakers when you’re listening to music through the AirPods.

With the option on, your music will continue playing in your AirPods when you get in the car. You can turn it on in ‌iOS 26‌ by going to Settings > General > AirPlay and Continuity.

Read More

We have a dedicated iOS 26 roundup that goes into detail on all of the new features that are available in the update.

Tech giant Google (GOOGL) has rolled out its newest AI video creation tool, Veo 3, to Gemini Pro users in 159 countries. Josh Woodward, the VP of Google Labs and Gemini, announced on X that Veo 3 is now available globally, including in India, Indonesia, and across Europe. Pro users get three video generations per day, and the credit refreshes every 24 hours. As a result, this update makes advanced AI video tools more accessible to users around the world.

Don’t Miss TipRanks’ Half-Year Sale

Interestingly, Veo 3 lets users create short, 8-second videos with audio simply by typing in a description. Google is still working on a feature that turns photos into videos, but that should be ready soon, according to Woodward. Businesses are already using Veo 3 to make content like social media ads, product demonstrations, training videos, and presentations with much less effort than traditional video editing would require.

Unsurprisingly, experts in the industry are calling Veo 3 a major advancement. Will Hanschell, CEO of the marketing tech firm Pencil, said that it is the biggest step forward in AI for advertising since generative AI became popular in 2023. With just one prompt, brands can now create full videos that include visuals, voiceovers, sound effects, and storytelling, thereby making Veo 3 a powerful tool for marketing at any stage. It is worth noting that Google’s AI Pro plan costs $19.99 per month, and new users can try it free for the first month.

Is Google Stock a Good Buy?

Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on GOOGL stock based on 29 Buys and nine Holds assigned in the past three months. Furthermore, the average GOOGL price target of $199.77 per share implies 11.5% upside potential from current levels.

See more GOOGL analyst ratings

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After being originally released more than a year ago, Helldivers 2 is finally coming to Xbox. Console exclusivity has always been the main weapon of the giants like PlayStation and Xbox. However, that thin line is diminishing gradually.Highly popular Xbox titles like Pentiment, Sea of Thieves, Hi-Fi Rush, and many more made their way onto PlayStation, breaking the console exclusivity rule. Now, it’s time for Sony to give back to the Xbox fans, and as a result, the Helldivers 2 Xbox port is here.

Everything you need to know about Helldivers 2 on Xbox

When Helldivers 2 was first released on PlayStation 5, it quickly garnered a huge fanbase. It actually changed the way people used to play co-op PvE games as it implemented many exciting features like Stratagems, Warbond Battle Passes, regular Major Orders by Super Earth High Command, and many more, despite keeping the core intact. So, it has always been a point of disappointment for the Xbox fans that this brilliant title was only available for PS5 and PC, and yes, it supported cross-play as well, which was adding salt to the injury. However, this injury is going to be healed completely as the official Twitter handle of Helldivers 2 has recently announced that the game is going to be available on Xbox Series X/S on August 26, 2025. Xbox fans who want to pre-order this game for their consoles don’t have to worry anymore as the pre-ordering process is live right now. Just like its price on PC and PS5, Helldivers 2 is going to be priced at $40 for Xbox Series X/S as well. One year ago, this whole scenario was quite unimaginable, keeping in mind that the arch-rivals of Xbox, Sony, owned the development team of the game, Arrowhead Game Studios. So, there was no way Sony would let its best-seller slide into its rival camp. But things have changed a lot since then, especially after Microsoft’s multi-platform approach with its first-party titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Co-incidentally, another Xbox first-party title, Gears of Wars Reloaded, is coming to PS5 on August 26 as well. So, it’s an absolute treat for all the fans, irrespective of the consoles they use, as the two gaming giants are breaking the console exclusivity and exchanging their best-sellers hand-to-hand.Read More:How to unlock Planetary Defense Cannons in Helldivers 2 easily

The maker of a phone app that is advertised as providing a stealthy means for monitoring all activities on an Android device spilled email addresses, plain-text passwords, and other sensitive data belonging to 62,000 users, a researcher discovered recently.

A security flaw in the app, branded Catwatchful, allowed researcher Eric Daigle to download a trove of sensitive data, which belonged to account holders who used the covert app to monitor phones. The leak, made possible by a SQL injection vulnerability, allowed anyone who exploited it to access the accounts and all data stored in them.

Unstoppable

Catwatchful creators emphasize the app’s stealth and security. While the promoters claim the app is legal and intended for parents monitoring their children’s online activities, the emphasis on stealth has raised concerns that it’s being aimed at people with other agendas.

“Catwatchful is invisible,” a page promoting the app says. “It cannot be detected. It cannot be uninstalled. It cannot be stopped. It cannot be closed. Only you can access the information it collects.”

The promoters go on to say users “can monitor a phone without [owners] knowing with mobile phone monitoring software. The app is invisible and undetectable on the phone. It works in a hidden and stealth mode.”

This is Rumor Replay, a weekly column at 9to5Mac offering a quick rundown of the most recent Apple product rumors, with analysis and commentary. Today: rumors of a cheaper ‘MacBook’ coming soon, Vision products roadmap, iPad Pro redesign, and more. Here are this week’s Apple rumors.

New ‘MacBook’ rumor with A18 Pro chip

Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is preparing to ship a 13-inch MacBook featuring an iPhone processor.

The product will likely just be called ‘MacBook,’ and include an A18 Pro chip, available as a low-cost alternative to the MacBook Air with fun colors including blue, pink, yellow, and silver.

This new MacBook is expected to ship in late 2025 or early 2026, with pricing estimates in the $699-799 range.

My takeaways

The new MacBook was easily one of the standout rumors of the week. It’s a major new product that’s expected to ship fairly soon, but that had scarcely been leaked any time previously.

As I’ve written already, it sounds like Apple is following its iPad playbook with this new MacBook. Adding a low-cost entry model should lead to wider Mac adoption, especially among current iPhone users. The number of iPhone users who also own an iPad is significant, and Apple clearly hopes the Mac can follow the same trend in the years ahead.

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Roadmap for new Vision products, Apple Glasses, more

Ming-Chi Kuo was also the source this week of a new roadmap outlining Apple’s plans for head-mounted devices in the years ahead. New products mentioned include:

• M5 Vision Pro later this year
• Vision Air in 2027
• Vision Pro 2 in 2028
• Apple Glasses in 2027
• XR Glasses in 2028
• and more

The M5 Vision Pro is expected to offer no significant changes, just a spec bump. But both the Vision Air and Vision Pro 2 should come with substantial weight reductions, per Kuo.

My takeaways

I had two immediate reactions to this leaked roadmap:

1. Apple is clearly very serious about Vision-style products
2. But it could be a long while yet before Vision goes mainstream

The former is no surprise, since this is an area Tim Cook is reportedly very passionate about.

I definitely have mixed feelings about the latter, though.

Vision Pro is too heavy and expensive today, and it sounds like we’ll have to wait at least two more years before that changes. In the grand scheme of things, I’m sure that time will fly by. But I’m ready for the Vision platform to start realizing its full potential, and I don’t think that will happen until the Vision Air arrives.

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Future iPad Pro and iPad Fold updates

Apple is expected to launch an M5 iPad Pro this fall, but this week’s latest rumors involve two different iPad models.

A future iPad Pro, likely one with an M6 chip, will reportedly come with much slimmer bezels than ever before. The bezels will be similar in size to those of the Samsung Tab Ultra, but with no notch.

iPad Fold, meanwhile, has reportedly had its development put on pause. The expected 18.8-inch foldable iPad was once thought to be launching in late 2026, but more recent rumors suggested 2028—which is still very possible despite Apple’s new holding pattern.

My takeaways

I’m all for slimming down the bezels on the iPad Pro. It’s a natural next step for the device following its last big redesign with the M4 model.

It’s disappointing, though, that the iPad Fold likely won’t arrive any time soon. Before last month, I’m not sure how much I would have minded. My 13-inch M4 iPad Pro is great. But iPadOS 26 has made me want a larger iPad like never before, and now that sounds like it’s not in the cards for a while.

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iPhone 17 logo and screen size changes

This week brought a couple updates regarding the upcoming iPhone 17 line.

Majin Bu reported that the Apple logo on iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max will be slightly relocated. It’s moving further down the back of the device, likely to adjust for changes in magnet layouts.

Separately, Digital Chat Station corroborated a prior report on the base model iPhone 17. He said the iPhone 17 is getting a larger screen this year than prior base models, moving from a 6.1-inch display up to 6.3 inches. This will make it the same size as the iPhone 17 Pro.

My takeaways

I don’t think either of these moves is particularly significant. The relocation of the Apple logo will, I’m sure, look completely fine and bother hardly anyone.

The iPhone 17 getting larger is certainly more important, but as someone who’s used the iPhone 16 Pro for almost a year with the same screen size, I don’t think the extra screen real estate makes much difference.

I suspect Apple’s making this move partly to streamline its display lineup. But it also, importantly, differentiates iPhone 17 from the expected iPhone 17e next year. I’m sure the budget model will keep the smaller 6.1-inch size.

What are your takeaways from this week’s rumors about the MacBook, Vision line, and more? Let us know in the comments.

Best iPhone accessories

Get ready because Apple iOS 26 (not iOS 19) is headed your way this fall with some cool new features you’ll want to try. What’s most exciting? The fresh home and lock screen redesign we’ve been waiting to see for years. Dubbed Liquid Glass, the new look and feel will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul was one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9.

After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).

Siri, meanwhile, is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year.

If you’re a developer, you can check out the iOS 26 beta 2 now; the public beta is coming this month. With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like newly discovered FaceTime feature that’ll freeze your video if it detects nudity. Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.

What is iOS 26?

While the current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 later this year. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead. (Meanwhile, iOS 18 is still getting new versions this summer, too.)

What is Liquid Glass design?

Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.

So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.

That said, as of the newly released iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.

What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?

iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:

Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.

Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.

Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.

Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.

Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.

Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.

FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.

Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?

A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.

Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.

When will the iOS 26 beta be available?

The iOS 26 public beta will become available this month (July) via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.

Once you’re in and the beta is available, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.

A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.

When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?

iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced.

If you’re more interested in the Apple Intelligence features coming, here’s everything Apple revealed for iOS, macOS and more during WWDC. Also, check out how iOS 26 screenshots could be an intriguing preview of Apple’s delayed Siri rework.

Update, July 3: Noted new FaceTime feature found in the developer beta.

Update, June 30: Noted ongoing iOS 18 releases, and reports that Apple is considering additional external LLMs for Siri.

Update, June 25: Noted changes added in iOS 26 beta 2.

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With its update coming next week, Google has now confirmed how much it will pay out towards a new phone for Pixel 6a owners who will be affected by an upcoming battery reduction.

Over the past few months, it’s become apparent that there’s a battery issue with Pixel 6a devices. Google has since acknowledged that, yes, there is a problem with some units. The company is now preparing to roll out a mandatory update that, for affected units, will reduce the battery capacity and charging as a preventative measure. Like how this affected Pixel 4a, that will leave Pixel 6a owners with a device that likely won’t be able to last through a full day of use. As such, Google has three remedy options available which 9to5Google has now viewed.

The first option – and likely the one preferred by most – is to get a battery replacement. This would allow the Pixel 6a to keep working for the rest of its lifespan which, currently, is scheduled to end around July 2027.

The other two options involved a monetary reimbursement. You can choose to get $100 in cash, delivered via “Payoneer,” or $150 in a Google Store credit which can be used towards another Pixel phone. The credit can’t be combined with other promo codes, though, so you can’t stack any additional credits. Google has apparently sent out $125 coupons to some owners towards Pixel 9a, and that will not stack with the $150 credit.

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All three of these options are available via a form on Google’s website. You’ll need the IMEI of your Pixel 6a to use the form and, if your device is impacted, Google will help you proceed with submitting the claim.

Google doesn’t require any purchase information, but it will check if your Google account matches the one on the device. If it doesn’t – say if you’re replacing the device for a family member – Google says it “may need to ask you more information.”

More on Google Pixel:

Follow Ben: Twitter/X, Threads, Bluesky, and Instagram

Earlier this week, Instagram Threads launched what the company said was its most-requested feature to date: direct messages (DMs). However, the company is now facing a bit of a user backlash over the addition, as users, primarily women, are arguing that there should be a way to opt out of DMs entirely, citing harassment concerns.

Although DMs are a part of other social networks similar to Threads, including X, Bluesky, Mastodon, and others, some Threads users appreciated that they were not an option previously.

“I don’t want to receive DM’s. How do I shut this thing off? I ask on behalf of all women,” one Threads user posted on the platform.

“Great. More ways for women to get harassed online,” said another.

“Congrats on adding a feature only stalkers were interested in,” chimed in a third.

Many others replied to the announcement about DMs, which was shared on Threads by Instagram head Adam Mosseri. Across dozens of posts, some of these users wrote they didn’t want DMs or claimed that “nobody asked for this.” One person pointed to a poll with thousands of votes where Threads users indicated they overwhelmingly would have preferred not to have a DM feature. Several asked if there was a way to turn the feature off. (There is not.)

While harassment is a one concern, others worry about inboxes flooded with bots, spam, and other unwelcome outreach.

The way the system is currently designed, you have to follow a user for them to have the option to DM you. If that person bothers you, unfollowing them will revoke their access to your inbox. (For a more nuclear option, you can choose to block the user, which blocks them on Instagram, too.)

Arguably, those upset by the feature’s addition are more likely to have shared their thoughts online — similar to how consumers tend to post bad reviews of businesses on places like Google Maps and Yelp, but not their positive experiences.

Still, those complaining may have a point. As a social media platform grows, adding new features after the culture is already set can cause disruption. Creating a non-public way for users to interact changes how some people want to use Threads. Meanwhile, users’ lack of control over the experience, like an opt-out option, leaves them feeling helpless.

Meta may have felt that by tying DMs to followers, it was giving users a way to decide who could reach them more privately. But what the company failed to understand is that on a public social network like Threads, users may find themselves following people whose posts and opinions they want to read, but who, as strangers, they’d rather keep their distance from.

iCloud is Apple’s main cloud service, but it apparently considered providing developers with more.

Apple reportedly was considering providing cloud services to app developers, as executives considered the creation of a rival offering to services sold by Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.

Developers often rely on cloud servers for various tasks, ranging from data storage to off-device processing. While the major names in the field include the lies of Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, Apple could’ve been another name on the list.

According to sources of The Information Apple has internally considered providing server-rentals to developers of iPhone and Mac apps. The deliberations, which have happened over the last few years, have not yet resulted in such a service existing, but there’s a chance one could eventually turn up.

Executives had envisioned the use of its own chips in servers, used to perform number crunching for clients, including for AI purposes. However, the proponents of the idea thought that Apple’s chips are so efficient that developers could end up saving money versus current-gen cloud services.

Unknown future

The internal talks were largely headed up by cloud executive Michael Abbott, who was reportedly the biggest driver of discussions. However, after departing Apple in 2023, talks didn’t die down completely.

Discussions on the topic apparently took place in the first half of 2024, but it is unknown if any took place after that time. It is also not known if the talks have died completely, or whether they continue at a smaller or more secretive scale.

Thunderstruck

The idea of Apple using its own chips to create cloud services is something that has been reported on before.

A secret project, internally known as “Project ACDC” (Apple Chips in Data Centers), surfaced in May 2024 as Apple’s attempting to develop Apple Silicon specifically for server farm use. The chips would be dedicated to AI processing.

Part of this initiative was the creation of Private Cloud Compute, which uses Mac chips in Apple’s data centers for AI processing purposes. The Siri team was the first to try them out, with report sources adding that performance improved in terms of accuracy and processing cost versus servers with Intel chips.

The project then grew to include the Photos and Apple Music teams. It was even referred to internally as a highly private version of Amazon Web Services, the retailer’s major service that is a big part of modern-day Internet infrastructure.

When it comes to dealing with heavier loads, Apple also has considerable experience, due to using its servers to process Apple Wallet transactions.

It’s also still working on the idea of making server hardware. In May, it was reported that Apple was still keen on the idea of making new AI server chips, replacing the M2 Ultra currently used for remote Apple Intelligence queries.

Massive revenue potential

While it is unknown if Apple will actually go forward with creating a cloud service for use by app developers, it’s a thing that could become quite lucrative for the company. Not to mention saving it money.

Apple already spends about $7 billion per year on cloud services from Amazon and Google, chiefly for AI training. By building up and using its own infrastructure, it would reduce what goes out of the company in terms of payments, if not necessarily saving money directly.

As for offering cloud services, a good indicator of what Apple could earn is Google’s revenue. As of 2024, Google Cloud makes up 12% of Alphabet’s revenue, hauling in $43.2 billion in revenue.

It’s not hard to see how Apple, with its AI-forward hardware, could make a killing on server rental. It just has the massive and expensive task of building up its own infrastructure first.