Hands-free Alexa comes to select 2020 LG OLED TVs via update

"Alexa, volume up". Amazon and LG USA are enabling hands-free Alexa voice control on select 2020 LG TVs with built-in microphones. Alexa now integrates with pop-up TV reminders.

Alexa on LG 2020 TVs
Recent LG TVs already support push-to-talk voice commands via Amazon Alexa. The new capability is to allow the owner to use Alexa hands-free by speaking the "Alexa" wake-word.

- "After registration, customers can interact with Alexa hands-free by simply saying, “Alexa,” followed by their command. With the latest Alexa features, customers can say, “Alexa, set a 30 minute kitchen timer” to alert them to check dinner while watching their favorite TV show. Customers can also say “Alexa, remind the kids to shut off the video games at 8pm” to pop-up a TV reminder for the family. From asking for the weather, to playing your favorite song or skill, customers just need to ask Alexa. Customers wishing to use push-to-talk button can still do so by holding down the Prime Video button on their Magic Remote controller. All available Alexa features will work both in hands-free and push-to-talk modes," the company explained.

LG said that hands-free Alexa is supported on 2020 TVs including the GX, WX, and ZX OLED models as well as the NANO99 LCD model following a firmware update, which is rolling out in the US now. These TVs are equipped with built-in microphones.



The companies added that hands-free Alexa can be used to "play music, hear the news, check weather, control their smart home, and play Alexa games, without the need for a remote control". As part of the update new Alexa features for LG TVs are; "smart home camera support, timers, alarms, reminders, announcements and notifications."

Hands-free Alexa does not appear to support requests for a specific movie or TV show on an LG TV.

TVs from most major brands now come with some form of voice control either through an external speaker or built-in to the TV.