Amazon Alexa gets multi-room update

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Amazon introduces ‘multi-room music’ to Alexa, which lets users synchronise tunes across multiple Echo speakers by voice command

Owners of two or more Amazon Echo or Echo Dot speakers can use the Alexa App to create (and name) groups, enabling music playback control across the devices with a simple command.

For example, an Echo and a Dot could be grouped together as 'bedroom'. First person to ask Alexa to play Herman's Hermits' Upstairs, Downstairs while upstairs, wins!

The feature is supported across the Amazon Music and TuneIn streaming service platforms, with that to expand to Spotify “soon”. US users can also listen to iHeartRadio and Pandora, with support for SiriusXM also “coming soon.”

In related news, Amazon's 'Flash Briefing' skill, which helps you start your day with the latest news and headlines, can now keep you updated on music news, new releases, events and trivia related to your favourite artists, as well Prime- and Unlimited-related features - all curated by Amazon Music "experts". All users have to do is enable the 'Today In Music' feature on their Alexa-powered device.

That's yet another IQ increase for Alexa, then...

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Becky Roberts
Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.