It was just 12 years ago that Amazon lunched Prime, giving members free two-day shipping and making it even easier to blow all of your cash on random items that pop up in your recommended section. (C'mon, you know you're guilty too LOL) Since then, Amazon has welcomed numerous delivery options for customers, including same-day delivery, one hour drop off and the Amazon Locker. I'm sure we've all utilized at least one of these...or maybe even all of them even though we don't care to admit it. Today, Amazon announced a new service called Amazon Key that will allow couriers to open your front door and leave packages INSIDE of your home.
Amazon Key is paired with Amazon's new Cloud Cam and compatible smart lock technology. Can you say cha-ching?! We can practically see the dollar signs! The camera acts as a hub connected to your home's wifi. Upon arrival, the courier scans the package's barcode and requests access to your home. If everything checks out, the cloud grants them permission and the door unlocks. The Cloud Cam records the entire interaction, and re-locks the door once the courier leaves. Customers receive a notification on their phones that the delivery has arrives, along with a short video of the drop-off. Check it out!
Ok so we've got lots of feelings about this. Everything seems to check out since there is a camera recording exactly what's going on. But what if you've got a dog that either hates strangers or often tries to run outside? What if hacking into this technology makes it easier for people to break into homes? While this product can be great for many Amazon customers in theory, there are so many opportunities for things to go wrong. What do ya think?