Amazon removes Alexa's ability to control Echo speakers' AUX input

Amazon has removed Alexa's ability to control the auxiliary (AUX) input on Echo smart speakers, according to a report from Ars Technica.

The feature allowed users to switch an Echo device's audio source to a connected AUX input using voice commands. Its removal comes even though Amazon has not released a new Echo speaker with a 3.5mm AUX port in roughly six years.

A fading feature

The change affects owners of older Echo models that do include a physical AUX port, who previously relied on Alexa voice commands to switch between streaming audio and an external audio source plugged into the port.

Amazon has not publicly detailed its reasoning for removing the capability, and it is unclear whether the change was related to software maintenance, security updates, or a broader simplification of Alexa's feature set.

The move is likely to affect a shrinking pool of users, given how long it has been since Amazon last shipped an Echo device with an AUX port, but it still removes functionality from devices that previously supported it.