Amazon kills Alexa voice control of AUX input on older Echo speakers
Amazon confirmed the change to Ars Technica and told users by email this week that voice commands for the AUX input are no longer available.
Amazon has disabled the ability to control Echo smart speakers' AUX input through Alexa voice commands. Users received an email from Amazon this week stating that voice commands to control the device's Aux input are no longer available, and the company confirmed the change to Ars Technica.
The affected devices are the Echo Plus 2nd Gen, the Echo 3rd Gen, the Echo Studio 1st Gen and the Echo 4th Gen.
The hardware itself is unchanged: the physical AUX inputs still work, and users can still enable or disable the AUX input through the Alexa app.
Years-old hardware
The four affected models span several product generations. The Echo Plus 2nd Gen was released in 2018, followed by the Echo 3rd Gen and the Echo Studio 1st Gen in 2019, and the Echo 4th Gen in 2020.
Amazon hasn't made an Echo with a 3.5 mm port in years.
Quick answers
Which Echo devices lost Alexa AUX voice control?
The Echo Plus 2nd Gen, Echo 3rd Gen, Echo Studio 1st Gen and Echo 4th Gen.
Does the AUX input still work on these Echo speakers?
Yes. The physical AUX inputs still work, and the Alexa app can still enable or disable the AUX input.