You’ll need a smart lock and Amazon’s new Cloud Cam
By Ben Popper
Twelve years ago, Amazon launched/lɔ:ntʃ/ Prime/praɪm/, a subscription service that entitled/in'taitld/ members to free two-day shipping in the United States. Since then, it has added a number of options to make delivery faster and more convenient./kən'vinɪənt/ Prime customers can get same-day delivery, and drop off with an hour or two on some items. Of course, customers aren’t always home to receive their packages. So Amazon started putting lockers in nearby convenience stores and building lobbies/'lɑbi/. It even showed off drones/'drəun/ that could drop the package right into your backyard. Today it’s taking the obvious next step and introducing a service that will allow Amazon couriers/'kʊrɪɚ/ to open your front door and put your package safely inside your home.
The service is called Amazon Key, and it relies/rɪ'laɪ/ on Amazon’s new Cloud Cam and compatible smart lock. The camera is the hub/hʌb/, connected to the internet via your home Wi-Fi. The camera talks to the lock over Zigbee, a wireless protocol/'protə'kɔl/ utilized/'jutəlaɪz/ by many smart home devices.
When a courier arrives with a package for in-home delivery, they scan the barcode, sending a request to Amazon’s cloud. If everything checks out, the cloud grants permission by sending a message back to the camera, which starts recording. The courier then gets a prompt on their app, swipes the screen, and voilà, your door unlocks. They drop off the package, relock the door with another swipe, and are on their way. The customer will get a notification that their delivery has arrived, along with a short video showing the drop-off to confirm everything was done properly/'prɑpɚli/.
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