Because Ivona was acquired and the old software is no longer sold, obtaining the original old Ivona Eric legally is tricky but possible.
In January 2013, Amazon acquired Ivona Software. The immediate goal was to power Alexa’s voice. But soon, Amazon rebranded and integrated Ivona’s engine into Amazon Polly (launched November 2016).
Polly retained many Ivona voice names—including Eric—but with significant changes under the hood. old ivona eric new
Many users miss Old Eric’s distinctive “BBC reporter” neutrality. The new voices can sound too smooth or overly friendly. In technical documentation or horror narration, Old Eric’s flat delivery actually worked better.
Old Eric is better for:
New Eric is better for:
Do not buy “Ivona voice packs” on eBay, Reddit, or torrent sites. These are almost always pirated. Amazon still owns the IP, and using cracked versions violates the EULA. Because Ivona was acquired and the old software
Sentence: “I honestly can’t believe you did that. It’s incredible.”
Winner: New Neural – better emotional nuance. New Eric is better for: