Amazon has decided to discontinue the hands-free feature for Alexa Built-In phones as of March 31, 2023. Following the date, the feature will no longer be supported by Amazon. Users will still be able to use Alexa but only when the app is open on the phone. Some of the phones that the change will affect iclude the OnePlus 10T, the OnePlus 10 Pro, and the OnePlus 9.
In recent years, Amazon has worked with some Android device makers to make “Alexa Built-In” phones. The feature allowed users to activate and interact with Alexa using voice commands from anywhere in the phone whether or not the Alexa app is open. Moving forward, the company also plans to end its broader support for Alexa Built-In phones, as per the GeekWire report. Now, users will be able to operate Alexa on Android and iOS smartphones when the Alexa app is open, including the option for hands-free access inside the Alexa app.
“We regularly review our features to ensure we are investing in services that will delight customers and have decided to suspend support for this feature,” an Amazon spokesperson told GeekWire. Amazon is “continuing to invest in the Alexa experience within the Alexa app to provide customers with a seamless way to access their favorite features and experiences,” it added.
Amazon has not revealed the reason for this move but has stated that Android operating system updates may impact the hands-free experience before the actual cutoff date of March 2023.
