iCloud Calendar now works with Amazon Echo smart speakers and Alexa assistant

Amazon said today that users in the countries where Alexa is officially available can now synchronize their iCloud Calendar data with any devices that feature its voice assistant Alexa.

Compatible devices include not only Amazon’s Echo family of smart speakers, but also Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with the official Amazon Alexa mobile app or the Amazon shopping app, which now integrates Alexa features.

The new integration lets Apple customers who happen to own an Echo device or use the Alexa app ask what’s on their schedule for the day, tell the smart assistant to add a new calendar entry hands-free and more. Any appointments added to your iCloud Calendar through Alexa will instantly propagate to the Calendar app on your Apple devices, and vice versa.

To get started with this new feature, simply link your iCloud account through the settings tab within Amazon’s mobile Alexa app and follows the onscreen instructions.

According to The Verge, Amazon’s smart voice assistant now supports these accounts:

  • Apple iCloud Calendar accounts
  • G Suite accounts
  • Google and Gmail accounts
  • Office 365 commercial customers with Exchange Online mailboxes
  • Outlook.com email accounts, including all Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live or MSN ones

Amazon said iCloud Calendar integration has been a “top requested feature” from customers.

Apple, as you know, is rumored to be developing a standalone Siri speaker that could get unveiled at WWDC next week alongside refreshed Mac notebook hardware.

Integrating iCloud Calendar with Alexa probably required help from Apple, indicating that the growing rivalry between the two firms won’t stand in the way of user experience.

According to BuzzFeed, the Cupertino giant and Amazon have reached a deal that would bring Amazon’s official Prime video-streaming app to the fourth-generation Apple TV, as well as see the e-retailer resume Apple TV sales in its storefronts.