LG Begins Rolling Out Alexa Voice Control on 2019 TVs, Following 2018 Google Debut

LG began activating Amazon Alexa voice control in its 2019 TVs that feature artificial intelligence, said the company Wednesday. The update is being implemented through the Alexa app installed on LG UHD, NanoCell and OLED TVs with ThinQ AI over the next few weeks, said the company. LG is the only TV brand that comes equipped with the two leading voice control platforms, said Tim Alessi, head-home entertainment product marketing, LG. With the Alexa app, owners of compatible LG TVs can ask questions, control smart home products and access over 90,000 Alexa skills, without the need for a separate external device, the company said. The TV maker said its 2019 TVs can understand hundreds of voice commands and handle more complex requests due to more advanced LG ThinQ AI conversational voice recognition technology. Last year, LG included Google Assistant on AI ThinQ TVs. The command, "Alexa, start my morning" could initiate a series of actions such as providing traffic information, reporting the weather, listing calendar items and beginning a chosen playlist, it said.