Amazon is proving to be the leader in Internet of Things (IoT) technology with Amazon Go, Amazon Dash, Amazon Echo and now an in-home delivery service: Amazon Key. They recently announced the new Key app and Cloud security camera that allows delivery recipients to give couriers access to drop packages off inside their homes and monitor the deliveries via video.
These new tools could have major implications for every CRE industry—retail, office, multifamily and everything in between—in the near future.
As of November 8, Amazon Prime members in 37 cities included in the initial product launch can grant remote access to delivery people through an app. Then, the delivery recipients can use the Cloud Cam to view the package drop-offs in real time or be sent a short video after the delivery is complete.
Like all of Amazon’s Prime services, these tools link to one another. If you have Amazon Dash or Amazon Echo, respectively, you can push a button or ask Alexa to order something, and Amazon Key’s delivery people can bring it directly to you in your home.
Amazon isn’t the only one working on these products, proving that the IoT delivery market is getting hotter. Walmart is also working on their own in-fridge delivery service.
In-home delivery apps and their related camera-based security services are perfect examples of the IoT-powered security systems we’ve discussed becoming real. The availability of these commercial products is a huge step for IoT-powered security systems for all types of buildings. This remote access can be applied to anyone, from dog-walkers and maintenance staff for your home, to visitors of an office for business meetings and more.
However, if the receptivity to Amazon Key and Cloud Cam are any indicator, these technologies may take some time to really make waves. Sixty-eight percent of adults surveyed by Morning Consult said they’re not comfortable letting delivery drivers in their homes. Fifty-three percent even went so far as to say that they’re “very uncomfortable” with the idea. But once in-home delivery becomes the new norm, office tenants, multifamily residents and retail managers alike will use these tools.
How buildings connect to the latest technology and the world surrounding them is becoming even more important for buyers and investors, and in turn, brokers. To learn more about the future of multifamily CRE tech, access our latest resource.
