Amazon has discontinued its Astro robot for business use as of September 25. The company will refund the amount invested in these devices to organizations while continuing to provide the domestic version of the device.
The Astro robot was first introduced in September 2021, combining Alexa with a computer vision system to simplify users’ lives. Initially targeted for home use, Amazon later expanded its availability to businesses in the United States for functions such as warehouse monitoring and facility tours.
However, Amazon has now decided to exclusively focus on delivering consumer robotics solutions for home use. The company has hinted at working on new functionalities for the robot to improve its capabilities and performance for domestic tasks. As of September 25, all Astro for Business robots will cease functioning and all personal data will be deleted from the devices. Affected organizations will receive a full refund for their purchases and an additional $300 credit to their accounts.