Apple customers may be familiar with the option of walking into an Apple retail store, purchasing a product with the Apple Store app, and walking out without checking out or even speaking to a single employee, and now Amazon seeks to one-up that experience with a new concept called Amazon Go.
Amazon Go provides a checkout-free shopping experience that, to the naked eye, looks exactly like shoplifting. After scanning a smartphone upon entering a store, the app automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to the shelves and keeps track of them in a virtual cart.
Amazon Go says the app utilizes computer vision, sensor fusion, and deep learning, allowing customers to simply take what they want and go with no checkouts or lines required. Shortly after, Amazon will charge a customer's Amazon account and send a receipt, meaning that, unlike the Apple Store app, shoppers do not even need to be in the store during the actual payment process.
Amazon did not provide any further details, so beyond that it remains unclear exactly how the process works.
For now, Amazon Go is limited to Amazon employees in the company's beta program, while only one Amazon Go food store in the company's hometown of Seattle—at 2131 7th Ave—currently supports the app. Amazon Go will open to the public in early 2017, possibly signaling the app's expansion to other stores.
All customers need is an Amazon account, a supported smartphone, and the free Amazon Go app. Amazon informed MacRumors the app will likely support iPhone, and presumably Android-based smartphones as well.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Just what America needs....less jobs.
But doesn't Amazon help create jobs as they have to have people maintain these stores, developed the technology, R&D jobs, construction jobs to built these places etc...? Not being a smartass but seriously asking.Just what America needs....less jobs.
To posit the reverse as you imply, that America needs more jobs, is an unqualified statement at Best and foolishly short-sighted at worst. What we really need is more higher-skilled and/or knowledge-based jobs with more challenge and higher reward. We need a more robust education model that won't fail the majority of students and a focus on communities to create a natural support system.There's more and more to go with that, but simply crying out against the destruction of low-skill jobs is a vote against progress. It's a plea for change without the willingness to change anything.
Just what America needs....less jobs.
You'd rather have more people working in shopping centers at tills and more queues? Those people could be educated and serve the world far better than scanning in groceries.[doublepost=1480962102][/doublepost]
Uh, why does Amazon need to know what groceries I buy now?
What's the difference in Amazon or Tesco knowing?[doublepost=1480961123][/doublepost]
Uh, why does Amazon need to know what groceries I buy now?
Know your preferences, targeting with more accurate marketing.All those whining about $15/hr min wage out there, this is what happens.
And when businesses do things like this I'll take my money to their competitors who actually employ real people and pay them a living wage.Just what America needs....less jobs.
I, for one, actually miss Steve Jobs. Less Jobs is what is hurting Apple and the world.