Alexa commands to play or pause line-in audio may no longer work on older Amazon Echo speakers with a 3.5mm input. The port itself can still be used, according to The Verge. App settings reportedly continue to offer control. The Verge says Ars Technica cited an unnamed spokesperson confirming the change, while Amazon gave no on-the-record statement to The Verge.
What changed for Echo owners?
The reported change is about voice control, not the ability to send sound through the aux input. A device connected to the input may still provide audio through an older Echo. The commands affected are those asking Alexa to play or pause that incoming sound. The source does not say that all other Alexa functions have changed.
The Verge says the app’s settings menu appears to retain control of the port. That means users may still manage the input in the app even if a spoken play or pause request fails. The report does not give instructions for finding the setting. It also does not confirm how the behaviour varies among older Echo models.
How was the change reported?
The Verge’s report says Ars Technica pointed to a Reddit poster who claimed to have received a message from Amazon. Ars Technica also said an unnamed spokesperson confirmed the change. The Verge contacted Amazon, but did not receive an on-the-record statement. The source therefore presents a reported confirmation, rather than a public explanation from Amazon.
The message reportedly offered no explanation for the decision. It also did not describe a change to audio output, such as using an Echo Dot to connect an external speaker. That distinction matters because the report focuses on controlling incoming aux audio. It gives no indication that output connections are affected.
Why does the port still matter?
The 3.5mm connection allows older Echo devices to receive audio from another connected device. The reported removal changes how users can control playback, rather than whether the input can carry sound. App settings are described as an available control path. The Verge does not explain whether that option will remain available indefinitely.
The Verge says Amazon has not released an Echo speaker with a 3.5mm aux port for years. It also recalls that Amazon removed an Echo feature allowing users to opt out of sending voice recordings to the cloud last year. This background places the current change among earlier Echo feature changes. It does not establish a shared reason or policy behind them.
What is still unknown?
The source does not identify why Alexa’s line-in playback commands were removed. It also leaves unclear which older Echo devices are affected and whether the change is universal. No future software update or restoration has been reported. The available account only says app control appears to continue.
Amazon has not given The Verge an on-the-record explanation, and the message cited in the report supplies no reason. The next useful detail would be clarification of the affected devices and the status of app settings. Until then, the reported distinction is between still-usable input and unavailable voice playback control. The Verge’s account does not provide a timeline for any further change.