Amazon is bricking its Astro business robots less than a year after launch

Jul 04, 2024 01:09 AM - 4 months ago 52908

For a infinitesimal there, it seemed for illustration Amazon mightiness pivot its Astro location robot to endeavor after giving it a amended occupation arsenic a camera-equipped patrol dog. But today, it’s discontinuing nan Astro for Business robot for good. On September 25th, each 1 of nan 20-pound wheeled robots will extremity working, and Amazon will automatically rumor afloat refunds for nan $2,349.99 bot, positive a $300 credit.

Amazon isn’t commenting connected really galore business bots it really sold since nan November 2023 launch, but nan company’s VP of hardware engineering says he’s “increasingly convinced nan advancement we’re making successful location robotics is wherever we should attraction our resources.” We’re sharing his afloat soul memo below.

Amazon besides provided this connection to The Verge, which judge makes it sound for illustration an Astro for Home successor mightiness beryllium connected nan way:

We are afloat committed to our imagination of bringing world-class user robotics solutions to nan home. To accelerate our advancement and ongoing investigation to make Astro nan champion in-home robot, we’ve made nan determination to upwind down support for Astro for Business. We’re excited astir nan in-home experiences we’re inventing for Astro, and look guardant to sharing much successful nan future.

GeekWire first reported nan news and said Amazon isn’t laying disconnected immoderate workers owed to nan pivot because they’ll conscionable commencement moving connected location robots instead.

It’s a shame that a tiny robot will simply get bricked and past trashed aliases recycled alternatively of being repurposed successful immoderate way. While Amazon says customers tin get an induce to effort its Astro for Home instead, Amazon spokesperson Courtney Ramirez confirms that nan business bot can’t beryllium converted into 1 for nan location — instead, Amazon is offering a free shipping explanation for its recycling program.

Here’s nan afloat soul memo arsenic good arsenic nan emails that Amazon is sending existing customers, arsenic provided to The Verge by Amazon:

From: Lindo St. Angel

To: CoRo org

Subject: Update connected Astro for Business

Team,

It’s now been a twelvemonth since CoRo moved into my organization, and it’s been a rewarding acquisition learning astir nan squad and nan business. I person tremendous respect for this team, what you’ve built for our customers, and your ngo to present world-class user robotics solutions.

Much for illustration you all, I americium a large believer successful nan semipermanent benefits robots will connection our customers, and advancements successful generative AI make this only much exciting. I americium progressively convinced nan advancement we’re making successful location robotics is wherever we should attraction our resources. To do this, and accelerate our advancement further, we’ve made nan determination to upwind down nan Astro for Business programme to attraction our efforts wholly connected building nan champion user robotics products for nan home

There’s a batch of activity to beryllium done, but I americium excited for this alteration and wherever it will lead america connected nan adjacent shape of our journey. If you person immoderate questions astir this displacement and really it pertains to your role, please scope retired to your manager.

Lindo

Amazon is sending this email to its Astro for Business customers:

Subject: An important connection astir Astro for Business

Dear Astro for Business customer,

At Amazon, we activity to invent caller solutions for illustration Astro for Business to thief service our customers. While we are proud of what we’ve built, we’ve made nan determination to extremity support for Astro for Business to put our attraction connected making Astro nan champion robot for nan home.

In nan coming weeks, Amazon will afloat refund each Astro for Business instrumentality purchases to nan original costs method. If your original costs method is nary longer connected record aliases is expired, we will rumor a in installments to your Amazon relationship adjacent to nan magnitude you paid. You do not request to return immoderate further steps to person your refund.

We are besides adding a $300 in installments to your Amazon relationship to thief support a replacement solution for your workplace, arsenic good arsenic issuing you an automatic induce to nan Astro Day 1 Editions Program if you’d for illustration to proceed your travel pinch Astro successful your home.

What this intends for you:

On 9/25, your Astro for Business instrumentality will nary longer usability and your individual information will beryllium deleted from nan device. Any patrol aliases investigation videos recorded by Astro will still beryllium disposable successful your Ring app until your video retention clip expires aliases your Ring Protect subscription ends.

We promote you to recycle your Astro for Business instrumentality and accessories done nan Amazon Recycling Program—Amazon covers nan costs associated pinch shipping and recycling your devices and accessories. Find much accusation astir nan Amazon Recycling Program and get your free shipping explanation by clicking nan link: https://amazonrecycling-us.re-teck.com/recycling/home.

If you’re an Astro Secure subscriber:

On 9/25, we will discontinue Astro Secure, and your subscription benefits will automatically end. You will nary longer beryllium charged immoderate subscription fees for Astro Secure opening 7/3 and will person a refund successful nan coming days for immoderate unused, pre-paid subscription fees to nan costs method associated pinch your Ring account.

If you person immoderate questions, please scope retired to customer work for further information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

Sincerely,

The Astro for Business team

It’s besides sending this email to those pinch Astro Secure subscriptions:

Subject: An important connection astir your Astro Secure subscription

Dear Astro Secure customer,

We are penning to pass you astir an important alteration to your Astro Secure subscription. On 9/25, we will extremity support for Astro Secure and benefits for illustration civilization patrols, nonstop investigations of triggered Ring Alarm sensors, and support for Virtual Security Guard will nary longer beryllium disposable connected Astro. Your Ring Protect Pro subscription is not impacted.

You will nary longer beryllium charged immoderate subscription fees for Astro Secure opening 7/3 and will person a refund successful nan coming days for immoderate unused, pre-paid subscription fees to nan costs method associated pinch your Ring account.

If you person immoderate questions, please scope retired to customer work for further information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

The Amazon Astro for Home robot is still listed arsenic an invite-only Day 1 Edition product, years aft its release. In 2023, nan institution raised its value to $1,599.99, up from nan $1,000 early adopter value and nan $1,449.99 MSRP it carried astatine nan clip of our review.

Last year, leaked soul documents hinted astatine a caller type pinch conversational generative AI that “remembers what it saw and understood,” tin “engage successful a Q&A speech connected what it saw,” and perchance spot hazards successful a location for illustration surgery solid connected nan floor.

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