Amazon Echo Update Adds iCloud Calendar Feature: Here’s How to Enable It

Amazon this morning announced the availability of a new software update for its range of Alexa-powered Echo devices, which will enable users to sync up their information from Apple’s iCloud Calendar with their Echo, allowing even further integration between the e-commerce-giant’s proprietary voice-assistant platform and 3rd party products like Apple’s iOS.

Along with the ability to ask Alexa “what’s coming up on my iCloud Calendar?”, the new software update will allow customers to issue add or delete commands for new calendar entries — such as to add or remove a scheduled appointment. The most useful factor of all, is that anything added or deleted to your iCloud Calendar via your Alexa-powered Echo device will automatically sync across your entire line of Apple macOS/iOS devices.

“iCloud Calendar support has been a top requested feature from Alexa customers, and we’re thrilled to bring this to Alexa devices in US, UK and Germany today,” Amazon said, while adding that “Starting today, you can now link your Apple iCloud Calendar to Alexa. Once [your accounts] are linked, just say, ‘Alexa, what’s on my calendar today?’ or ‘Alexa, add lunch with Sarah at noon to my calendar.’”

How to Sync iCloud Calendar with Amazon Echo

If you’d like to sync your Alexa-powered Echo device with your iCloud account to enable Calendar syncing..

1. Download and access the Alexa iOS app.
2. From there, select the Settings tab from the menu bar.
3. Sign into your Apple account by entering your iCloud ID and password.

Along with support for Apple Calendar/iCloud integration, Amazon announced that the new update will also enable Alexa-powered device owners to access their accounts for G Suite, Google/Gmail, Office 365 users with Exchange Online, and via Outlook.com.

Amazons claims the new update will be available beginning today, May 31st, to customers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany — the only places where Amazon’s Alexa services are currently available.

Alexa-powered voice-assistant services are available on a variety of hardware devices manufactured and sold by Amazon, including the Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Look, and the all-new Echo Show. Interestingly, Amazon’s move to broaden Alexa integration with devices like the iPhone and iPad comes as Apple — perhaps even as early as next week at WWDC 2017 — is expected to unveil a premium Siri-only speaker device, which will directly compete with Amazon’s Echo family of offerings.

Will you be syncing your iCloud Calendar with your Echo device, or will you be holding out for one of Apple’s upcoming Siri speakers? Let us know in the comments!