- Amazon’s Astro for Business, a security robot designed for SMBS, stops production and focuses on the field of home robots.
- In the coming weeks, Amazon will refund customers who purchased Amazon Astro for Business devices in full with their original payment method.
OUR TAKE
When Amazon launches Astro for Business in November last year, it says the security solution combines robotics, intelligent security and AI to enable smes to monitor their business 24/7 even from home, including real-time views, remote controls and two-way calling capabilities.
–Zora Lin, BTW reporter
What happened
According to a report by Reuters on Wednesday, Amazon stops production of a security robot designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBS) just 8 months after its launch to focus on home robots.
According to the report, Amazon launches the Amazon Astro home robot in 2021 and then expands it to business customers in November 2023 under the name Astro for business.
“In order to accelerate our progress and ongoing research to make Astro the best home robot, we have decided to phase down our support for Astro for Business,” an Amazon spokesperson says in the report.
“In the coming weeks, Amazon will refund customers who purchased Amazon Astro for Business devices in full with their original payment method,” the product page says.
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Why it’s important
Amazon’s decision reflects the adjustment of market demand and product strategy. Although security robots may have potential in concept, they may fail to achieve the expected commercial success and market acceptance after practical promotion. In contrast, the field of home robots (such as Amazon Astro) is more popular and has potential.
Processing customers who have purchased Astro for Business devices with a full refund helps maintain Amazon’s good relationship with customers and its reputation in the marketplace.
The home robot market has huge potential, especially in the context of the convergence of smart home and artificial intelligence technologies, and Amazon’s decision could lead to important market dynamics in this area.
