Amazon has revealed that Alexa Routines – a functionality enabling users to design personalized Alexa commands that execute several actions simultaneously – is now available on its Fire TV devices. Beginning today, Amazon users can integrate Fire TV controls into their Alexa routines, encompassing actions such as turning the TV on or off, launching a Fire TV application, or controlling playback – playing, pausing, or resuming – on their Fire TV.

As an illustration, you might establish an Alexa Routine for a film evening that would pause the current show and activate the lights during a break for refreshments, and then subsequently dim the lights and restart the movie upon your return. Alternatively, you could integrate Fire TV into your nightly schedule, switching off the television while simultaneously reducing the brightness of the lights and setting your wake-up alarm. This feature could prove particularly beneficial for individuals who enjoy relaxing and drifting off to sleep while watching television.

You also have the ability to define your own spoken phrases to trigger these customized routines, such as, “Alexa, snack time,” or “Alexa, I’ve returned,” for instance.

Amazon states that these two scenarios reflect behaviors already prevalent in the United States, as indicated by a Morning Consult survey commissioned by the company. The survey revealed that 75% of U.S. viewers pause their television programs or movies at least once each evening to obtain a snack or beverage, and 32% reported watching movies and TV shows more frequently before going to sleep in 2020 compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, if you develop a Routine that you believe others might benefit from, you can easily share it with your contacts through the shareable links Amazon introduced in September.

These new “Entertainment Routines” are being rolled out today to all Fire TV devices, including Fire TV Edition smart televisions and the Fire TV Cube. However, users with a Fire TV Stick will require a television that supports Consumer Electronics Control (CEC) to utilize the power on/off functionality within their Routines.

Amazon confirms that this feature will be accessible worldwide.