Amazon expands Alexa in-skill purchasing to UK, Germany, Japan

Amazon said Alexa developers in UK, Germany and Japan will get in-skill purchasing programs as a way to earn money.

The program, which launched last year in the U.S., has given developers some monetization options for Alexa skills. Amazon is fortifying the Alexa ecosystem, which already has a strong developer following in consumer and business markets.

Amazon said in-skill purchasing (ISP) will expand internationally starting with UK, Germany and Japan. The goal for Amazon is to encourage developers to localize content, skills, languages and currencies. For U.S. developers, the expansion could generate a global audience.

There are more than 100 million Alexa-enabled devices in the field and developers may be able to generate up sell opportunities via voice. Amazon has a few developer success stories for games like Escape the Airplane.

Developers will be able to use the Alexa Skills Kit Command-Line Interface as well as the Alexa Developer Console. For the international expansion, Amazon is looking for ideas to pitch the Alexa Skills Kit team. 

Best gifts for co-workers under $50 on Amazon

See our TechRepublic guides for developing on Alexa:

• How developers can make money off of Amazon Alexa skills
• How to become an Alexa developer: A cheat sheet
• Alexa Skills: Cheat sheet
• Alexa for Business: Cheat sheet

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