Amazon adds Brazilian Portuguese to Alexa, launches Echo products in Brazil

Amazon has announced the expansion of its Alexa AI assistant to Brazil with the introduction of Brazilian Portuguese.

The company will also bring its Echo Dot and Echo Show 5 smart speakers to the country on October 8, followed by the launch of Amazon Echo on November 8.

This is part of a significant move into Brazil from Amazon, a country where the online retail giant has struggled. The company brought its Prime Package to the country last month, where it costs 9.90 reais (€2.19) per month, or 89.00 reais (€19.66) a year.

The company says that the new Alexa is built from the ground up for Brazil, and that developers are creating skills and devices with Alexa built-in specifically for the country.  Brands such as Bose, LG, Sony, JBL, Yamaha, Intelbras and Positivo are releasing devices that work with Alexa or have Alexa built-in.

Toni Reid, vice president, Amazon Alexa said: “We’re excited to introduce Alexa to customers in Brazil, with a custom-built experience that honors Brazil’s language and unique culture. 

“Customers across Brazil will be able to ask for their favorite music, control their smart home, and enjoy skills from hundreds of customer-favorite Brazilian brands including Show do Milhão, Porta dos Fundos, UOL Esporte, iFood, Leite Ninho, Cinemark, and more. We’ve worked hard to create a Brazilian Alexa that we think our customers will love, and we can’t wait to hear what they think.”

The announcement follows the agreement of a deal between Amazon and Disney to license a selection of Disney movies in Latin America from October 1 through to September 2020. Disney plans to launch its Disney+ SVOD in Latin America in Q1 2021.