'Hey Disney!' voice assistant now available for Echo devices in US

San Francisco, June 16

Amazon and Disney have announced that the new voice assistant 'Hey Disney!' is now officially available for Echo devices in the US.

The new voice assistant is built on Alexa technology and also referred to as the 'Disney Magical Companion'.

Users can now purchase it in the US "as an annual, auto-renewing subscription in the Alexa Skills Store for use on their supported Echo devices at home. Additionally, Hey Disney! is included as a part of subscription to Amazon Kids+," Amazon said in a blogpost on Thursday.

"Hey Disney! marks the first time an Alexa Custom Assistant (ACA) is available on supported Echo devices for customers at-home and uniquely brings together an array of content featuring 20+ characters across Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, and other beloved franchises," it added.

Disney was able to create an assistant with a custom voice (the Disney Magical Companion) and wake word ("Hey Disney!") because of ACA, a comprehensive solution.

Customers just have to say, "Alexa, introduce me to Hey Disney," to purchase and set up the service.

After the purchase is made and the experience is enabled, users can say "Hey Disney, start the magic" to Alexa to learn how the Disney Magical Companion works alongside Alexa.

"Hey Disney! represents the art of what's possible when two major companies marry their creative and technical expertise," said Mark Yoshitake, General Manager and Director of Alexa Skills.

"This is a whole new way to bring Disney storytelling to life for fans of all ages and we are thrilled to offer a magical, new experience for customers to enjoy on their Echo devices," Yoshitake added.

Amazon and Disney had first announced the collaboration to launch this new voice assistant at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in January this year.