Amazon Echo Show Gets New Accessibility Features in Canada

Amazon announced on Tuesday its Echo Show devices powered by Alexa now have a new Gestures feature in Canada, just one of a few expanded accessibility options.

It’s now possible to use the following Gestures with your Echo Show 8 (2nd gen) and Echo Show 10 (3rd gen) in Canada:

• Dismiss timers by raising your hand. Opt-in by going to “Settings,” then “Device Options,” then “Gestures.”
• Text-to-speech is now available for Tap to Alexa: access Alexa with touch instead of voice with ability to create custom requests
• Consolidated captions: turn on Call Captioning, Closed Captioning and Alexa Captioning all at once to all Echo Show devices; enable by going to “Settings,” then tap “Accessibility,” and select “Captions.”

“This opt-in feature can come in handy when it’s inconvenient to speak to Alexa or touch the Echo Show screen. Notably, Gestures offers increased accessible features for users who are nonverbal or have limited mobility or hearing, allowing Alexa to make everyday life simpler for all Canadians,” said an Amazon spokesperson in a statement to iPhone in Canada.

“Amazon’s vision is to become Earth’s most customer-centric company. That means making our devices and services accessible to everyone—especially people with disabilities,” says Amazon’s accessibility page, which details the company’s features across all devices.