It’s here. Huawei released an over-the-air (OTA) update today bringing hands-free Amazon Alexa capabilities to Mate 9 smartphones in the US. New Mate 9 smartphones will ship with the Huawei Alexa application pre-installed, making it the first Android smartphone to have the cloud-based voice service as a native, out-of-the-box feature.

Huawei introduced its flagship Mate 9 device in the US at CES 2017. The Mate 9 was built smart, with a machine learning algorithm designed to improve device performance over time. Now, Mate 9 is even smarter thanks to the Alexa Voice Service (AVS).

The hands-free Alexa experience adds intelligent voice control to the Mate 9. With the app initiated, customers can take Alexa on-the-go, making it quick and easy to control smart home products, get news, local information, and more—all they have to do is ask.

Buy Huawei’s Mate 9 smartphone with Amazon Alexa

“We’re excited to bring Amazon Alexa to the Huawei Mate 9, helping customers easily perform everyday tasks while on the go—using just their voice,” said Steve Rabuchin, vice president of Amazon Alexa. “From controlling their smart home and checking the news to shopping and listening to Audible content, we think customers are going to love interacting with Alexa while on the go. We can’t wait for customers to try this out.”

How to Access Alexa on the Mate 9

If you’re a new Mate 9 owner, you will find the Huawei app with Alexa pre-installed on your device. Get started with Alexa by opening the app and using your Amazon login to register your account. Once registered, you’ll be able to access most Alexa capabilities from the mobile app by using either the wake word “Alexa” or by tapping the microphone icon on the screen. Personalize your Alexa experience by downloading the Amazon Alexa companion app and enabling thousands of skills now available.

An OTA notification on the device will give current Mate 9 customers access to the Huawei Alexa mobile application

Getting Started with AVS

Alexa is always getting smarter with new capabilities and services through machine learning. As a developer, your product also gains access to new capabilities with Alexa through API updates, feature launches, and custom skills. Learn how AVS can add rich voice-powered experiences to your connected products on the AVS Developer Portal.

Have questions? We’re here to help. Visit us on the AVS Forum or Alexa GitHub to speak with one of our experts.