Amazon to wind down its Astro for Business security robot

04.07.2024

The e-commerce giant initially launched its dog-like robot for household use in 2021. Astro for Business, aimed at various sectors including retail, manufacturing, health, and wellness, debuted last November.

“To expedite our advancements and continuous research in making Astro the premier in-home robot, we’ve opted to phase out support for Astro for Business,” an Amazon spokesperson informed Reuters via email.

Designed for household tasks like home monitoring, setting routines and reminders, and playing music and TV shows while moving around the home, the home robot was introduced.

Priced at $2,349.99, the Astro for Business robot was exclusively available in the U.S. and aimed to assist customers with 24/7 business monitoring.

According to an email from the company seen by Reuters, the Astro for Business robots will cease functioning from September 25th.

Amazon has announced a $300 credit for affected customers, which can be used towards a replacement workplace solution. Starting Wednesday, affected customers will no longer be charged the Astro Secure subscription fee and will receive refunds for any unused prepaid fees.