I agree. I think Amazon managed to sneak this one post Apple and Google, since they started the Alexa voice service without using either of the others as a model. Alexa has taken the market by storm.
I can understand Apple not wanting something like this, but I would think Google would definitely like to see Google Now services embedded on a wider scope of devices than Android (and theyâve been âscoopedâ here). Of course Googleâs higher level of support (languages, scope, etc.) is far more challenging to implement so they may, in fact, be working on it.
It is a shame that Amazon and Google havenât been able to play nice with each other. While I am thankful for Alexaâs support of Google Calendar, I would very much like to see more of my Google data/services accessible from Alexa.
In fact, an âAlexaâ to âOk Googleâ bridge would be awesome.
I agree, I believe that if those two could get together⊠It would completely change the way things are going. But at the same time, once that competition heats up, there is no telling where the technology will go.
LOL⊠but for now weâre stuck with Bing!
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The physical Echo is nothing more than a microphone and speaker which is a gateway to the Amazon Cloud. It has no other function. Echo IS in the cloud, aka Alexa Voice Service. This App is essentially a virtual Echo. It performs the same function, minus music, that the Physical Echo does. Therefore, I am controlling my Echo remotely as my âAlexaâ is nothing more than a cloud service.
IMO the Google weak points are these:
A) the mic. The commands work, but the âalways-listeningâ part struggles from across a room or in noisy environs. Someone needs to produce a bluetooth array mic similar to that found on echo as a standalone device.
B) the phrase âok Googleâ. Itâs annoying, and decreases the wife acceptance factor. As cliche as Siri and all her competitors may be, those names as action triggers are clearly more acceptable than âok Googleâ. lol
I assume by this statement you have never heard if Siri or Apple home kit. Watch the current Apple commercial with cookie Monster using Siri hands free voice to set a timer and play music . Then tell me Apple does not want this.
I am afraid you missed my point, which was providing a defacto voice service for use on other platforms/devices. In the case of Alexa, they are even providing 100 million in funding for folks with cool devices/ideas.
Apple likes to keep everything Apple, within Apple. So yes, Apple has no interest in this kind of model.
Without reading the entire thread (too lazy)
Will this allow me to perform âAlexa play Pandoraâ when i arrive home?!
Unfortunately, Roger canât tell Alexa to play music.
So, will this virtual Alexa talk to Smartthings Hub?
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Yes it can. I have played with lights and switches.
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I use it when in Iâm driving⊠Instead of fumbling with the app, I just tell Alexa to do it.
It would be nice if Roger made an Apple Watch app and iOS widget for quick access. Once they do that, it property much is as good as Siri/HomeKit along with the other obvious advantages.
Just FYI, as of now, roger is no longer works with Amazon Echo.
Just found this âReverbâ from the iOS App Store would be the solution for remote control of your Amazon Echo
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Thereâs a significant use case difference between âremote control of your Amazon echoâ and âremote access to your Amazon Alexa account.â Reverb offers the latter.
Remote control of your Amazon echo would allow you to tell a specific echo device to start playing something specific, either text to speech or a playlist or your flash briefing or whatever. Quite a few people would like to have this feature, but it is not available at all yet except through the paired Amazon remote. And that has to be within Bluetooth range.
Remote access to your Amazon Alexa accounts acts as a virtual echo device â â you speak to it and you get the responses on the device hosting the app, which could be a Mac or an iphone or an iPad. You could get it to turn on your lights at home because the Alexa to Home automation isnât currently specific to one device anyway. But it is a different feature with a different set of use cases. 
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Believe majority of the people here are trying to find the solution on not getting extra echo and be able to control their SmartThings hub via Alexa which the app would be a perfect use case for that. But you are correct, technically, the App were access the Alexa API directly without the Amazon Echo device, the downside to this was not able to do play music and some specifics action that require more work on the development of the APP. For now, it solve my issue on not getting extra device, which is great and we should be thankful for people out there who worked hard on this. 
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Roger is deleted. Reverb is in. 
Nice findâŠI was hoping someone would replace Rogerâs functionality. Curious what was the demise of Roger? Was it Amazon taking issue with the app or possibly data usage? Curious if reverb could face a similar fate? But for nowâŠI donât care, it seems to work