If Alexa+ is this bad, maybe we shouldn’t be too impatient for new Siri

Source: 9to5Mac

Delayed launches of Siri and Alexa+

Attitudes to the hugely delayed launch of the new Siri were split between frustration and resignation. Apple promoted the more intelligent voice assistant in a deleted video ad for the iPhone 16, but it now appears it may officially launch alongside the upcoming iPhone 18.

Amazon’s Alexa+ service initially seemed to be well ahead of Apple, yet it too was delayed and is now struggling to deliver on its promises.

Alexa+ rollout and issues

The conversational Alexa was first unveiled in February 2025. After a fan‑fare‑filled announcement, the company quickly began backtracking on several of its promises. A soft launch in August 2025 didn’t go well, with reviewers complaining about missing features, reliability problems, and even basic commands failing. The full US launch finally occurred in February 2026, but reviewers remained unimpressed.

Wired’s test of Alexa+ on Echo Show 15

Wired’s Rhys Rogers gave Alexa+ a month‑long trial on his Echo Show 15. His verdict was far from glowing:

After more than a month with Alexa+ on this 15‑inch screen, I’ve concluded that Alexa+ simply doesn’t work well. It maneuvers like an unpredictable toddler, smashing around and half‑completing tasks.
It felt like interacting with a synthetic bridge troll haranguing me until I said the magic combination of words. The AI assistant can be so persnickety that I let out an exasperated sigh at least once during every interaction in my kitchen as I trudged over to the remote or touchscreen in resignation to finish something Alexa+ struggled to accomplish.

Rogers highlighted several examples where Alexa+ failed miserably unless he managed to figure out the exact phrase the assistant expected—exactly the opposite of a conversational AI.

Comparison with past Alexa experiences and Siri

The same complaint was voiced back in 2018 when the original Alexa claimed a wide range of capabilities but required pre‑installed skills and memorized exact phrases to work. The new Siri still appears to have time before it can fulfill its own promises.

Bottom line

Both Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa+ have faced significant delays and under‑delivered on the hype surrounding their next‑generation conversational abilities. While Apple’s Siri may still have time to improve, Alexa+ currently struggles to provide a reliable, truly conversational experience.