Amazon has disabled Alexa control of devices plugged into the company’s Echo smart speaker’s AUX port.
Users have reported receiving an email from Amazon this week informing them of the change. “This is a reminder that as of today, voice commands to control your Echo device’s Aux input are no longer available. Requests like ‘Alexa, play from line in” or “Alexa, set aux input’ will no longer work,” an email that Amazon sent reads, according to a screenshot a Reddit user shared this week.
An Amazon spokesperson confirmed the news to Ars Technica today.
Amazon hasn’t made an Echo with a 3.5 mm port in years. The change affects only some older Echo devices: the Echo Plus 2nd Gen (released in 2018), Echo 3rd Gen (released in 2019), Echo Studio 1st Gen (released in 2019), and Echo 4th Gen (released in 2020).
The physical AUX inputs continue to work, so users can still listen to audio from a device connected to an Echo’s 3.5 mm port. They can also continue to use the Alexa app to enable or disable a supporting speaker’s AUX input.
Amazon’s representative also noted that users can still connect a device to their Echo third-party devices to Amazon speakers today. The spokesperson said that very few people use voice commands to control audio from a device connected to an Echo’s AUX, which suggests that few users are affected
Still, it’s frustrating to see a company remove a feature from purchased devices that users may have relied on for years and without a stated reason. Amazon’s representative didn’t answer Ars’ questions about why Amazon removed this Alexa capability or how many users are affected.
“They had the functionality, it’s not like it was a security issue or anything. I cannot understand the reason they’d simply remove a function beyond enshittification,” a Reddit user said in response to the news.
Removing the feature may make it easier for Amazon to maintain Alexa, especially as Amazon puts more resources into improving its AI-powered, subscription-based version of Alexa, Alexa+.
This isn’t the first time Amazon has removed functionality from purchased devices. Last year, it removed users’ ability to block their Echo device from sending voice recordings of commands spoken to Alexa to Amazon. The Echo 4th Gen, Echo Show 15, and Echo Show 10 supported the capability.
Scharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter
Scharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter
Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She’s been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Tom’s Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK.
Source: arstechnica.com
