Rumor: Amazon to focus on home automation hardware

Amazon would have plans to develop products for home automation and therefore invest heavily in its hardware department in the coming years. Among other things, the company would like to develop ‘smart’ sensors that should stimulate the user to make purchases.

Reuters news agency reports, citing anonymous sources, that Amazon plans to expand its Lab126 research division to 3,757 individuals through 2019. Last year Lab126, which developed the Kindle e-readers and the Fire smartphone, among other things, had 3,000 employees. The expansion would be necessary to put more focus on the development of home automation applications.

Amazon is said to have plans, among other things, to develop smart sensors that encourage users to make purchases at the company’s web stores. For example, a sensor connected to the internet could sound an alarm if a washing machine needs maintenance or if the filters of an air conditioner need to be replaced. Amazon also sees opportunities in the wearables market.

Amazon declined to comment on Reuters’ message, but the company confirms that Lab126 is growing strongly and is important to the company.