Boston Dynamics has appointed Rohit Prasad, a former Amazon executive, as its new CEO. Prasad previously spent 12 years at Amazon, where he played a key role in developing and expanding Alexa. Before joining Amazon, he conducted machine-learning research at Raytheon.
Amazon has announced that Alexa will no longer support voice commands to control audio input from a 3.5mm aux connection on older Echo devices. Users who rely on this feature may notice disruptions in functionality. The change was confirmed by an unnamed Amazon spokesperson, following reports from a Reddit user. The update affects devices that use the aux input as a speaker, limiting Alexa’s ability to manage playback through this method.
This shift marks a broader trend in Amazon’s efforts to streamline and secure its smart home ecosystem. By limiting the aux input’s integration with Alexa, the company aims to enhance user experience and reduce potential security vulnerabilities. The change aligns with Amazon’s ongoing strategy to refine its voice assistant’s capabilities and focus on more integrated smart home solutions.
