In a surprising move, Amazon has announced that its Astro patrol robot for small and medium businesses will be discontinued by the end of August, rendering the devices inoperative. This decision comes less than a year after the robot’s market debut.
First reported by GeekWire, this news emerged from a leaked internal email addressed to Amazon employees, detailing the fate of the $2,350 gadget. In the email, Amazon Devices Vice President Lindo St. Angel stated that the company is shifting its focus to home robotics, citing significant progress in that area.
“I am increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources,” wrote St. Angel in the July 3 email. “To do this, and accelerate our progress further, we’ve made the decision to wind down the Astro for Business program to focus our efforts entirely on building the best consumer robotics products for the home.”
According to The Verge, the upcoming home version of Astro might feature conversational generative AI, capable of remembering and understanding visual information to answer related questions. However, the potential market for such a device remains uncertain.
Refunds for Affected Customers
Customers who purchased the Astro for Business will see their robots cease to function on August 25. Amazon has assured these customers that they will receive full refunds for the robot and any associated subscriptions, along with an additional $300 in Amazon credit.
Amazon has not disclosed how many Astro units were sold or the anticipated cost of the forthcoming home version. However, previous reports suggest that the home robot will be significantly cheaper than its business counterpart, which might be necessary given the potential reluctance to invest heavily in such a device.