Amazon is bricking $2,350 Astro robots 10 months after release
Amazon’s decision to shut down cloud services for its $2,350 Astro for Business security robots—effectively bricking units less than a year after launch, despite offering full refunds, credits, and recycling—raises broader concerns about the longevity of cloud‑dependent hardware. Commenters debate whether refunds are sufficient compensation given lost time, integration effort, and trust, especially for business buyers who relied on the devices. Many see this as part of a wider pattern of big tech launching and rapidly killing products, with potential long‑term damage to their reputation and a chilling effect on early adopters and internal innovators alike.
Bricking & Refunds
- Astro for Business is being remotely disabled because its cloud backend is shutting down.
- Amazon is giving full refunds, an additional ~$300 in credits, and covering recycling/shipping.
- Some see this as a relatively fair outcome for a niche, failed, cloud‑dependent product.
- Others argue money doesn’t fully compensate for lost functionality, setup effort, or opportunity cost.
Trust, Reputation & Vendor Risk
- Many warn that you “only get a few” such shutdowns before earning a Google‑like reputation.
- Several say they already avoid new Amazon or Google products because of repeated cancellations.
- This particularly harms internal champions who pushed to adopt Astro; their political capital is burned.
Cloud Dependence, Ownership & E‑waste
- Root complaint: devices you “own” stop working when a vendor turns off servers.
- Some argue this should be illegal without opening devices/SDKs so others can keep them running.
- Others counter that full refunds plus recycling is an acceptable “ethical closure.”
- Concern about growing e‑waste and “bricked by design” hardware is recurring.
Business vs Consumer Impact
- Businesses face procurement overhead, staff training, and disruption to security workflows.
- Refunds don’t cover those sunk costs or the scramble to replace functionality.
- Even for consumers, people note lost time, accessories, and possibly worse/absent alternatives.
Use Cases & Product-Market Fit
- Multiple commenters struggle to see a compelling use; fixed cameras or Roombas seem better.
- Mobile security is seen as niche and technically fragile (stairs, getting stuck, easy to avoid).
- Broader point: general‑purpose home robots without a strong, specific job tend to flop.
Amazon’s Innovation Culture
- Some describe a pattern: splashy hardware bets (Fire Phone, Glow, Astro) that burn money and are later killed.
- Reports that Astro team members were laid off, which now chills internal risk‑taking.
- Per ex‑employees, Amazon’s “customer obsession” and “working backwards” processes can be applied loosely.
Comparisons & Alternatives
- Google is cited as the archetype of “ship, then kill” (Stadia, Firebase anxiety).
- Microsoft is contrasted as more stable for enterprise, though others point to its own killed products.
- A few suggest Amazon could blunt backlash by donating units to schools or enabling open‑source re‑use.