Amazon introduced Alexa support in its iPhone app last year, but a version for Apple"s smartwatch isn"t available as of yet. If you own an Apple Watch but the company"s digital assistant just doesn"t cut it for you, someone has figured out a way to add Amazon"s Alexa to your wrist.
Voice in a Can is an unofficial app form Swiss developer Atadore, led by Damian Mehers, and it allows users to interact with Alexa through the Apple Watch. There are some limitations, however, as the app can"t play music, audiobooks or podcasts through the digital assistant. Still, being able to control smart home devices or ask Alexa questions from your watch could be useful.
The app works independently from your iPhone and the developer actually recommends using it without the phone nearby, as the Bluetooth connection can be slow when using Alexa. Instead, you can use it whenever you have a Wi-Fi or cellular connection on the watch itself. Voice in a Can will also disconnect from Alexa when the screen times out, so the developer recommends that users increase the timeout limit on the Apple Watch as well.
For an app costing $1.99, these limitations could be a significant barrier for potential buyers, but as of right now, Voice in a Can is the only way to use Alexa on Apple"s smartwatch, so those in dire need of the functionality might still want to visit the App Store to download it.