If you have family or friends with Amazon Echo devices, you can now contact them using Alexa’s free messaging service from your iPad – no Alexa hardware required …

You’ll need the latest Alexa app, which is available for iOS 9 and later.

Making calls with Alexa is easy. Once you’ve synced your contacts in the Alexa App, just ask Alexa to place a call. Set up your voice profile to teach Alexa to recognize your voice. Since Alexa recognizes your voice, when you say, “Alexa, call Mom”, Alexa will call your mom.

The app also supports Drop In. This is a feature primarily intended for those who have multiple Echo devices around the home, and you can quickly send a message without the other person needing to answer – effectively an intercom system. If you have Echo Show or Echo Spot devices, then you’ll also be able to view video from those.

But you can also enable remote Drop In for specified contacts. For example, if you want the grandparents to be able to see the kids in the nursery on demand.

Check out the overview and FAQ for more details. The Alexa app is a free download from the App Store.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: