Amazon Draws Line in the Sand
With the launch of its own smart plug and other home accessories that are Alexa-enabled, Amazon is seeking to welcome consumers into its holistic smart home ecosystem.
Smart home appliances and accessories have not typically been subject to tech conglomerates' policies of boxing consumers into an exclusive relationship since these companies don't make their own smart home products. Smart bulb, plug, and thermostat products have been designed to work with as many platforms as possible to reach more consumers, but Amazon's latest slate of smart home products marks the company's divergence from the status quo, Fast Company reports.
Tech giants discouraging consumers from bonding with somebody else’s platform is not new. Apple, for instance, uses services like iMessage and accessories like AirPods to discourage iPhone users from considering Android. Amazon withholds its Prime Video apps from Google’s Chromecast devices and won’t sell some products from Google’s Nest. Google has retaliated by pulling its YouTube apps from Fire TVs and the Echo Show.