Amazon is bricking its Astro business robots less than a year after launch

For a moment there, it seemed like Amazon might pivot its Astro home robot to enterprise by giving it a better job as a camera-equipped patrol dog. But today, it’s discontinuing the Astro for Business robot for good. On September 25th, every one of the 20-pound wheeled robots will stop working, and Amazon will automatically issue full refunds for the $2,349.99 bot, plus a $300 credit.

Amazon isn’t commenting on how many business bots it actually sold since the November 2023 launch, but the company’s VP of hardware engineering, Lindo St. Angel, says he’s “increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources.” We’re sharing his full internal memo below.

Amazon also provided this statement to The Verge, which sure makes it sound like an Astro for Home successor might be on the way:

We are fully committed to our vision of bringing world-class consumer robotics solutions to the home. To accelerate our progress and ongoing research to make Astro the best in-home robot, we’ve made the decision to wind down support for Astro for Business. We’re excited about the in-home experiences we’re inventing for Astro, and look forward to sharing more in the future.

GeekWire first reported the news and said Amazon isn’t laying off any workers due to the pivot because they’ll just start working on home robots instead.

It’s a shame that a cute robot will simply get bricked and then trashed or recycled instead of being repurposed in some way. While Amazon says customers can get an invite to try its Astro for Home instead, Amazon spokesperson Courtney Ramirez confirms that the business bot can’t be converted into one for the home — instead, Amazon is offering a free shipping label for its recycling program.

Here’s the full internal memo as well as the emails that Amazon is sending existing customers, as provided to The Verge by Amazon:

From: Lindo St. Angel

To: CoRo org

Subject: Update on Astro for Business

Team,

It’s now been a year since CoRo moved into my organization, and it’s been a rewarding experience learning about the team and the business. I have tremendous respect for this team, what you’ve built for our customers, and your mission to deliver world-class consumer robotics solutions.

Much like you all, I am a big believer in the long-term benefits robots will offer our customers, and advancements in generative AI make this only more exciting. I am increasingly convinced the progress we’re making in home robotics is where we should focus our resources. 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

There’s a lot of work to be done, but I am excited for this change and where it will lead us on the next stage of our journey. If you have any questions about this shift and how it pertains to your role, please reach out to your manager.

Lindo

Amazon is sending this email to its Astro for Business customers:

Subject: An important message about Astro for Business

Dear Astro for Business customer,

At Amazon, we seek to invent new solutions like Astro for Business to help serve our customers. While we are proud of what we’ve built, we’ve made the decision to end support for Astro for Business to put our focus on making Astro the best robot for the home.

In the coming weeks, Amazon will fully refund all Astro for Business device purchases to the original payment method. If your original payment method is no longer on file or is expired, we will issue a credit to your Amazon account equal to the amount you paid. You do not need to take any additional steps to receive your refund.

We are also adding a $300 credit to your Amazon account to help support a replacement solution for your workplace, as well as issuing you an automatic invite to the Astro Day 1 Editions Program if you’d like to continue your journey with Astro in your home.

What this means for you:

On 9/25, your Astro for Business device will no longer function and your personal data will be deleted from the device. Any patrol or investigation videos recorded by Astro will still be available in your Ring app until your video storage time expires or your Ring Protect subscription ends.

We encourage you to recycle your Astro for Business device and accessories through the Amazon Recycling Program—Amazon covers the costs associated with shipping and recycling your devices and accessories. Find more information about the Amazon Recycling Program and get your free shipping label by clicking the link: https://amazonrecycling-us.re-teck.com/recycling/home.

If you’re an Astro Secure subscriber:

On 9/25, we will discontinue Astro Secure, and your subscription benefits will automatically end. You will no longer be charged any subscription fees for Astro Secure beginning 7/3 and will receive a refund in the coming days for any unused, pre-paid subscription fees to the payment method associated with your Ring account.

If you have any questions, please reach out to customer service for additional information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

Sincerely,

The Astro for Business team

It’s also sending this email to those with Astro Secure subscriptions:

Subject: An important message about your Astro Secure subscription

Dear Astro Secure customer,

We are writing to inform you about an important change to your Astro Secure subscription. On 9/25, we will end support for Astro Secure and benefits like custom patrols, direct investigations of triggered Ring Alarm sensors, and support for Virtual Security Guard will no longer be available on Astro. Your Ring Protect Pro subscription is not impacted.

You will no longer be charged any subscription fees for Astro Secure beginning 7/3 and will receive a refund in the coming days for any unused, pre-paid subscription fees to the payment method associated with your Ring account.

If you have any questions, please reach out to customer service for additional information. Thank you for being an Amazon customer.

The Amazon Astro for Home robot is still listed as an invite-only Day 1 Edition product, years after its release. In 2023, the company raised its price to $1,599.99, up from the $1,000 early adopter price and the $1,449.99 MSRP it carried at the time of our review.

Last year, leaked internal documents hinted at a new version with conversational generative AI that “remembers what it saw and understood,” is able to “engage in a Q&A dialogue on what it saw,” and can potentially spot hazards in a home like broken glass on the floor.