Echo Input adds Alexa to any powered speaker or hi-fi system and it's now available at an absolute steal in the Amazon US Cyber Week sale - a mere $15

However, it's marked as 'currently unavailable' in the UK which makes us wonder if the Input is about to go end-of-life.

Amazon sent us a statement on the matter, which is pretty clear to us: "Customer response to the Echo Input has been very positive and we’ve now sold out."

The Echo Input is like the Echo Dot but without any type of speaker inside. Instead, it requires an external speaker, connecting via a 3.5mm cable or Bluetooth.

So you could connect it up to a Bluetooth speaker, a soundbar, an AV receiver or hi-fi amplifier - and, of course, you can then stream music from Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music all you want. 

Amazon Echo Input

Amazon

However, Amazon definitely isn't giving up on the Echo Input name - it's just announced a battery-powered speaker version of the device for the Indian market. Could it also be coming elsewhere? 

Naturally, the Echo Input boasts Alexa support thanks to far-field microphones. So when it's connected to a speaker it works just like any other Echo device. Its only disadvantage is that the connected speaker must be powered on; if it's not, you can't hear what Alexa is saying to you. 

The Echo Dot is available for just a little more, so if you want the option of a speaker, that's the choice for you. The Echo Dot is now a third-generation device and the speaker has been improved to the extent that it's now a decent smart speaker in its own right.

That's why Amazon introduced the Echo Input last year, to keep a cheaper option.

Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen)