Less than a year after its launch, Amazon has announced that it is discontinuing the Astro for Business robot in order to concentrate on expanding its home robotics products. On September 25, 2024, the security robot intended for small and medium-sized businesses will stop working. Customers will be refunded in full and receive further compensation.
Astro Discontinued Their Business
Astro for Business was introduced in November 2023 and is a security system with preprogrammed routes, automated patrolling, and interaction with Amazon’s Ring Protect and Virtual Security Guard services. It is intended for use in spaces up to 5,000 square feet. At $2,349.99, the robot was available with a monthly subscription plan that varied from $20 to $99 each month. The commercial version of Astro, which has sophisticated features including an HD periscope camera and night vision technology, will stop operations on September 25, 2024, signaling the end of its brief deployment in the corporate sector.
Reimbursement To Customers And Recycling
Customers who originally purchased the Astro for Business gadget for $2,349.99 will receive full refunds in addition to a $300 Amazon credit to help with substitute solution searches. Customers will also be reimbursed for any prepaid Astro Secure subscription payments that are not used. Amazon is encouraging users to take use of its free electronics recycling program, which offers free shipping labels for device returns, in order to make it easier to dispose of the soon-to-be-defunct robots.
Concentrate On Home Astro
The termination of Astro’s corporate equivalent has no bearing on the consumer version, which was first released in 2021. The home robot is still accessible by invitation only and costs $1,600. It has functions including media playback, message delivery, home surveillance, and Alexa integration. Amazon is still dedicated to developing consumer robotics, and it intends to improve Astro’s home-use capabilities by implementing Day 1 Editions program comments.
The Explanation Of A Strategic Shift
The choice to discontinue Astro for Business is indicative of Amazon’s strategy shift in focus toward improving its robotics products for consumers. Vice president of Amazon Devices Lindo St. Angel reaffirmed the company’s faith in the long-term advantages of household robots and the promise of generative AI in this area. Amazon is “fully committed” to delivering top-notch consumer robotics products to homes, and this reorganization of resources is intended to accelerate advancements in home robotics research and development.