Amazon Is Streamlining the Set Up of Your New Internet of Things Gadgets

Amazon is making a play for almost every appliance in your house. The Seattle-based developer and e-commerce giant announced it’s making the set up of your smart device as simple as it can be: just plug it in.

The technology, dubbed “Wi-Fi Simple Setup“, uses Amazon’s Wi-Fi Lockers to save Wi-Fi credentials and utilize them when needed for the Internet of Things (IoT) devices in your home.

Simpler Setup = Smarter Home

Amazon’s demonstrating the technology in action with the Echo and TP-Link; users can reuse the same Wi-Fi credentials to set up new devices without having to go through the usual lengthy process. Devices theoretically should be able to connect autonomously.

The company says it’s a simple matter of just plugging in the Wi-Fi Simple Setup-integrated device. The connection shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds to be established.

Amazon also announced a smart home kit named “Alexa Connect Kit” that features a simple plug-and-play option. Companies can create smart products with Amazon’s module. It comes with Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi, and an operating system. Amazon’s already announced a smart microwave that utilizes the technology.

Wi-Fi Simple Setup fits nicely into Amazon’s long-term IoT plan, known as “Frustration Free Setup”. This model for connected devices is customer-focused and prioritizes the user experience; saving time in the setup phase of a device means the consumer can get right into using it.

But What About Security?

We’re excited about the potential that smart homes offer for simplifying our lives. But as we’re all well aware of, data privacy is a major concern these days. And it should thus be treated as a priority.

Amazon also recently announced that it would be turning the Echo into a security system for your house through a feature set known as Alexa Guard. With machine learning, it will soon be capable of turning your smart lights on and off to simulate that you’re home when you’re not. It will also be able to listen for signal sounds like glass breaking or alarms going off.

But what about cybersecurity? Could your Wi-Fi network be compromised more easily through Frustration Free setup? We’re hoping that Amazon’s IoT developers kept questions like this in mind when working on the company’s latest innovations.

Do you already have an Echo device? Would you buy a Wi-Fi Simple Setup-integrated device or a home appliance made with Alexa Connect Kit? Let us know your thoughts on these latest developments!