How to use Alexa as default voice assistant on Android

The Seattle World’s Fair, 1962. The IBM Pavilion demonstrated the IBM Shoebox, the Shoebox was capable of recognizing speech and performing mathematical functions. It was able to recognize 16 spoken words and also all the digits from 0 through 9. It was approximately the size of a standard American shoebox. All you had to do is give the device instructions about what you needed to be done and the device did them.

It has been close to sixty years since the debut of the first voice assistant. The perception of the consumer is no longer a jaw dropped in admiration and the expectation from voice assistants is not limited to basic arithmetic, performing searches on Google, finding restaurants and booking tickets are the least of the things expected from assistants.

The Amazon Echo and Google Home are the biggest names in the landscape of home automation systems.

Amazon Echo Plus: How to Setup, Add Skills and Give Commands

The Alexa is a voice assistant which was first used in Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dot smart speakers which were developed by Amazon Lab126. Alexa has proven itself capable of being able to control several devices at once in the smart home segment. With the introduction of Alexa into the Android platform. Alexa brings all the functionalities it is known for to the device.

Google’s voice assistant has been the go-to for most when it comes to Android, but Alexa might just give it a run for its money. For learning how to get Alexa on your device, do the following steps:

1) Download the Amazon Alexa app and then install it on your Android device.

2) Login to your Amazon account after you have installed the app.

3) Access Settings in your device and then proceed to 'Apps & notifications’ and then click on Advanced.

4) Click on Default apps, select Assist & voice input, and then click on the Assist app.

5) Amazon Alexa will be available as an option after you’ve installed Alexa on your phone.

6) In order to use Alexa, all you have to do is tap and hold on to your phone’s home button.

Alexa will need the user to grant it permission to use the microphone and the location when you use Alexa for the first time.

One of the major disadvantages of using Alexa as your Voice assistant is that you will have to be prepared for the convenience of saying the wake word and then proceeding to use the device as you please. Since the option of hands-free activation will no longer be available to you, you will need to hold the power button down in order to get access to Amazon Alexa.

Google Pixel phones have a feature called Active Edge which allows you to activate the voice assistant by squeezing your phone. Unfortunately, unlike Android’s very own Google’s voice assistant, where all it takes is a squeeze to activate it, the Amazon Alexa does not respond to this feature. And we do not even need to start about the phones that do not have the feature at all.

The settings were found to be modifiable on Google Pixel 2 phones. The feature has reportedly been found to work on a few Samsung devices.