LG has announced that it's rolling out Amazon Alexa support to its 2019 LG AI ThinQ TVs, which includes its range of LG UHD TVs, NanoCell TVs, and OLED TVs.
Amazon's voice assistant joins Google Assistant, which is already supported by LG TVs, meaning LG customers have more choice when it comes to controlling their TV with their voice.
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According to LG, the update will be "implemented through the Alexa app", with US customers receiving the update this month. Customers in Europe and Asia can expect the update to roll out "in the weeks to come".
Flexibility for users
Having Alexa built-in to their TVs means that LG customers will be able to "ask Alexa questions, [and] access over 90,000 Alexa skills" without the need for an external Alexa device like the Amazon Echo.
It also means your LG TV could become the center of your smart home, with the ability to control your Alexa-compatible smart gadgets by giving commands to your TV.
If you usually start your day by watching a bit of TV, another useful feature of the Alexa-integration is the ability to use Alexa Routines with your TV. These are "series of actions such as providing traffic information, reporting the weather and listing the day’s agenda items", which are triggered simply by saying “Alexa, start my morning.”
Whether you use Alexa, Google Assistant, or a combination of both, contextual knowledge from the LG ThinQ AI assistant will also intelligently weave the assistants together, remembering previous commands so that you can talk in a more natural way to trigger previously or regularly used commands.
As well as Alexa integration, LG has announced that LG 2019 OLED and select NanoCell TVs "will receive AirPlay2 and HomeKit support via a mid-year update".
This means that if you have a 2019 ThinQ AI TV, you'll be able to "watch videos on the Apple TV app and other video apps as well as enjoy photos [and] music on compatible LG TV's connected to an Apple device".
The introduction of Apple HomeKit means that users will also be able to control these TVs by interacting with Siri or Apple's Home app, giving customers a range of options when it comes to using AI assistants with their TV.
It's been a big year for LG, with the launch of the world's first rollable OLED television at CES 2019, the LG Signature Series OLED TV R.
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