Amazon has
increased the availability of in-skill purchasing for Alexa skills in the U.S.
This means that premium digital content can be sold from within products, such as games and interactive stories
as well as subscriptions that offer access to premium features or content for a limited time, according to an announcement by Amazon.
The basic Alexa skills will remain free while allowing
developers to offer additional premium content for a fee. For example, an Amazon Echo owner could respond to a suggestion to make a purchase by voice, using Amazon’s voice purchasing associated
with the owner’s Amazon account.
Companies already leveraging in-skills purchasing include Sony, The Ellen Show, History and TuneIn. New skills that will offer premium content are SYFI
Wire by NBCUniversal, Yes Sire by Volley Inc. and Word of the Way by Volley Inc.