Amazon has announced that Astro for Business, a version of its Astro robot aimed at businesses, will be discontinued as of September 25. The company will reimburse the amount invested in these devices to organizations, while maintaining the domestic version of the device. Amazon Astro was introduced in September 2021 with the goal of making life easier for users by combining Alexa with a computer vision system for functions like caring for dependents or pets. Initially focused on the home, Amazon later expanded Astro for use in US companies for tasks such as monitoring warehouses or touring facilities.
However, Amazon has now decided to stop offering Astro for Business and will limit its use to home environments starting on September 25. At this point, the robots will no longer be available for purchase, and all personal data on the devices will be deleted. Amazon will issue full refunds for the robot and provide an additional $300 credit to accounts on the platform. Subscriptions to the Astro Secure service will no longer be charged.
The company stated that this decision is based on a commitment to bring consumer robotics solutions to the home and is currently working on new features for the robot. This discontinuation will bring an end to Astro’s availability for businesses in the US as of September 25.