it's Amazon's world, we just live in it
Amazon's newest service will let delivery people drop off packages inside your house
Amazon wants to get inside your house — literally. To complement its smart home device, Alexa, the company announced Wednesday a new service for Prime users called Amazon Key, which will allow delivery people to actually drop off packages inside your home, The Verge reports.
Amazon Key works with another Amazon device, the Cloud Cam, plus a smart lock of your choosing. When a courier arrives with a delivery, he or she will scan the barcode on the package. If the package is at the correct home, the door will unlock and the Cloud Cam will start recording. The Prime customer will then receive a message confirming that the package was delivered, plus a video of the delivery taking place.
The service makes sense for anyone who has ever dealt with stolen, missing, or weather-damaged packages, or just wants the convenience of not having to carry another thing inside. But The Verge asks: "Will Prime customers trust Amazon to monitor their homes around the clock, and to know when it's okay to unlock their doors for a stranger?"
Amazon Key isn't just for deliveries either. "[T]he company is hoping that you'll use Key when ordering stuff like dog walking or kitchen cleaning from its Amazon Home Services division," The Verge explains.
With a launch date of Nov. 8, a Cloud Cam, smart lock, and free installation bundle will cost $249.99, with individual cameras running $120. Watch The Verge break it down below. Jeva Lange