Oliver Haslam·

New Fire TV Cube Update Lets You Control Apps Using Alexa

Amazon has long allowed Alexa to be used to launch apps and streaming services on the Fire TV Cube devices, but a quietly-rolled-out update to the devices’ software now allows Alexa to dip into apps, giving users the chance to control them using their voice.

Amazon has confirmed that a new update, rolled out to the Fire TV Cube devices, allows users to control apps with their voice rather than having to reach for the control. The update brings voice-controlled support for changing profiles and moving through menus as well as selecting items within those menus. That means that once a user has all of their AV gear turned on, they need not touch a controller again.

According to Amazon, the reason it has now enabled the feature is that users were asking for it. “We got a deeper understanding that customers want the ability to use their voice to select, browse and navigate through their favorite apps, just like they can on the Fire TV home screen,” a spokesperson is quoted as saying.

Anyone with a Fire TV Cube who wants to test the feature out can say things like “Alexa, move right” followed by “Alexa, select that.” If that sounds amazing to you, we think you’re probably right. Support is already baked in for a host of apps, with more to come. Right now, you can use voice control in Hulu, Netflix, ESPN, HBO Go, HBO Now, FOX Now, FXNow, ABC, FilmStruck, Boomerang, Tubi TV, Red Bull TV, Cartoon Network, Hallmark Movies Now, DramaFever, The CW, and CW Seed.

Over to you, the rest of the set-top box brigade.

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