Today we are announcing the expansion of the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) to the UK and Germany. This update enables device manufacturers to reach and delight even more customers with localized language models for the cloud-based ASR, NLU and TTS engines, and region-specific skills and content. Your AVS device can now converse in German, get a Flash Briefing from Sky Sports, or call for an Uber in London.

Follow these steps to prepare your product for use in the UK and Germany

1. Update your AVS client code to support the SetEndpoint directive

An EU endpoint is now available, providing customers in the UK and Germany with access to their personal data and region-specific content like localized skills. The SetEndpoint directive is used by AVS to instruct products to switch client endpoints if there is a mismatch between a customer’s settings (address) and the endpoint a device is connected to. For example, if a customer’s address is in the UK and the client connects to a US endpoint, a SetEndpoint directive is sent instructing your product to switch to the EU endpoint.

See the Sample Code

Read the API Reference Guide

2. Update your AVS client code to support the Settings interface

The new SettingsUpdated event allows a product to switch Alexa's language to US English (en-US), UK English (en-GB) and German (de-DE) through an on-device control or a companion app. Language switching allows your customers to converse with Alexa in any supported language irrespective of endpoint. This allows a German speaker living in the US to converse with Alexa in German. The customer will still have access to US-based skills and content, provided that the skill supports the German language.

See the Sample Code

Read the API Reference Guide

Language Switching in Echosim.io enabled by the new Settings Interface

3. Update to the latest version of the LWA SDK

Ensure that you have integrated the latest version of the Login with Amazon (LWA) Mobile SDK for Android or iOS into your product or companion app. This version is required for the UK and Germany. Refer to our AVS Authorization Guides for the latest instructions.

Authorizing from a Companion App

Authorizing from an AVS Product

AVS Sample App on GitHub

The AVS Java Sample App now includes a language switch and supports changing endpoints. Build your first prototype with Raspberry Pi, or download the latest client code to see the new localized features.

Prototype with the updated AVS Client for Raspberry Pi

Curious to hear what Alexa sounds like in German or UK-English? 

Try out Echosim.io – a web-based implementation of an AVS client. 

Pro Tip: Use the language toggle on the top-right to switch languages.