[spanishgum]

> Alexa+ costs $19.99 per month, but all Amazon Prime members will get it for free.

I'm curious if non prime members make up a big market for Alexa. I rarely use my smart devices for anything beyond lights, music, and occasional Q&A, and certainly can't see myself paying 20$/month for it.

[vitus]

I'm curious why anyone would pay $19.99/month for Alexa+ rather than just buy a Prime membership (which is $14.99/month).

Unless of course this is going to be met with a price hike for Prime...

[wccrawford]

That's what happened with Prime TV, and I absolutely expect it for the AI, too. And it might finally mean I cancel my Prime membership.

[x2tyfi]

Amazon Prime’s price hikes have a predictable cadence: * 2014: $79 to $99

* 2018: $99 to $119

* 2022: $119 to $139

We should expect a price hike from $139 to $159 in 2026, assuming the trend continues.

[echelon]

Meanwhile, Google Fiber has been the same price for 15 years. At least according to the billboard outside my window.

[ls612]

It works out for them because bandwidth gets cheaper over time but inflation eats away at that. $70 today is like $50 back in 2010 when GFiber first launched.

[wenc]

If ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode could be served through an always-on device like Alexa, I'd pay for it.

Hmmm... maybe I can install do this through a cheap tablet....

[janalsncm]

Model sizes have come down enough that it will be possible to run smart home control and simple Q&A entirely locally.

[shaklee3]

you can do this with home assistant already