By opening these centers, Amazon is adding one more physical touchpoint for customers to experience a wide range of its products and services under one roof. It already has Go stores opened in Seattle where no check out is required. It purchased Whole Foods last year which helps in broadening its “physical reach” across the country. The smart home foray will help the company bring closer to consumers and understand their shopping habits, which would help it to stay ahead of the competition.
Last year, Apple partnered with Brookfield Residential to offer its “Home Kit” technology, which would help users to control Home Kit-connected devices from any Apple devices including Siri. McKinsey says the smart home market in the US has been growing at a CAGR of 31% for the last three years.
The battle for understanding consumer habits and tweaking its services is getting intense between Amazon (AMZN), Google (GOOGL), and Apple (AAPL). For now, Jeff Bezos is taking a lead to get into your homes.