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Amazon now commands 70% of the voice-controlled speaker market, so it’s no small wonder that the company is now experimenting with revenue models for developers to make money with their third-party Alexa skills. The first Alexa skill to feature a subscription is the Jeopardy! skill, which grants you 6 additional clues every day for a $1.99/month subscription fee.
Amazon has been rewarding the top Alexa skill developers with direct payments, but this new monetization method will allow developers to monetize their voice app in new ways. Amazon is also using it as a chance to push their Prime membership onto those who may have an Echo device but haven’t signed up for the service yet. Prime members will receive the premium Jeopardy! Alexa skill subscription perks for free.
It’s worth noting that Amazon and the Jeopardy! dev Sony Pictures Television aren’t gating any content behind a paywall, as the subscription model for this particular skill is an add-on that allows you to answer six additional questions. The six free questions offered by the voice app before this was announced are still available for free.
Amazon has clarified that not all paid subscription skills will be available for free to Prime members, so it remains to be seen if future paid skills will be worth it. What do you think about paying a monthly subscription for something you interact with only your voice? Does this business model appeal to you at all?
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