Amazon acquires smart home start-up Blink

By Anuj Sharma - December 23, 2017
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With this acquisition, Amazon aims to take on Google's Nest, which began offering its own security system earlier this year and already sells a wide variety of indoor and outdoor connected cameras.

E-commerce giant Amazon has acquired home security start up firm Blink for an undisclosed sum.  The acquisition aligns with Amazon's effort to offer more home devices.

Blink provides wireless home security systems which are powered by batteries rather than requiring to be plugged into an electric outlet. With this acquisition, Amazon aims to take on Google's Nest, which began offering its own security system earlier this year and already sells a wide variety of indoor and outdoor connected cameras.

The move will help Amazon uplift its Amazon Key in-home delivery system, which does not currently integrate an alarm system. But by linking in with Blink's upcoming security system, Amazon could allow drivers to disarm a home alarm rather than needing a user to deactivate his or her own system on the day of the delivery.

One camera unit of Blink sells for $99 on Amazon. A three-camera set costs $229 on Amazon.

"We’ll continue to operate under the Amazon umbrella selling and supporting the same great products you know and love. It’s Day 1 for us at Amazon, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can deliver to our customers together," said Blink in a blog post.

Amazon’s latest smart intelligent speaker Echo has already witnessed tremendous response from consumers. The smart speaker goes head to head with Google Home and soon to be launched Apple’s HomePod,

"As one of their distributors, we already know customers love their home security cameras and monitoring systems. We’re excited to welcome their team and invent together on behalf of customers," an Amazon spokesperson has said.

Amazon also has Fire TV under its smart home portfolio that allows users to stream high quality content directly on their television. Fire TV Stick competes with Google Chromecast and Apple TV.