Your iPhone already has Siri on it, but Alexa is integrated into so many services that it easily trumps Siri in that regard. If you’ve ever wanted to use Alexa from your phone, Astra lets you do just that.


Astra isn’t much to look at, but with the exception of a few limitations, like Spotify access, Astra is essentially an Echo speaker inside your phone. It can control any connected devices, apps or whatever else you’ve connected to your Alexa account. Which is to say that if anything, Astra is best suited as an accent to an already existing Echo speaker since it allows you to tap into some of the connected home devices and other services you’ve already added to the Alexa ecosystem. So, instead of using Siri for some things on your phone when you’re away, and then Alexa for others when you’re at home, Astra gives you a way to use Alexa for everything no matter where you’re at.


Astra (99¢) | iTunes App Store via MacStories