Online retail giant Amazon has issued an apology to UK customers after they received an email announcing the launch of the Sidewalk service.
An email regarding the launch of the Amazon Sidewalk service, which is just currently available in the US, has been sent in error to customers in the UK. The service creates a neighborhood-wide network for local devices using customer broadband accounts.
The Sidewalk launch email was originally intended to be sent to customers with a US-registered device only but UK customers reported that they have received an email from Amazon regarding the service.
An Amazon spokeswoman said: "We recently began emailing customers with Echo devices registered in the US to give them more information about Amazon Sidewalk. This service will only be available in the US when it launches. We apologize for any confusion."
Amazon's Sidewalk service
Originally announced in 2019, Amazon Sidewalk can be accessed by devices up to 500 meters away if the home wi-fi is out of reach or not working, meaning Amazon-branded security cameras and smart speakers can still function without a wi-fi connection.
With its US launch, customers will automatically be part of the service as it will arrive in the form of a software update for devices, including the Ring security camera and Amazon Echo. They will have to opt out if they don't want to be part of the service.
Only certain devices will be able to have access to Sidewalk and individual smartphones are not included.
According to Amazon, Sidewalk uses a small portion of your internet bandwidth" for the service.
The company added: "Sidewalk can also extend the coverage for Sidewalk-enabled devices, such as Ring smart lights and pet and object trackers, so they can stay connected and continue to work over longer distances."
In response to the service, security researcher Kevin Beaumont pointed out that Amazon appeared to giving very limited access to other people's broadband connections and that "It isn't blindly allowing anybody to browse the internet from your connection."
However, Professor Alan Woodward, a cyber-security expert from Surrey University, argued that people should not be automatically added to the service.
He said: "I think you should opt in rather than opt out of these things. It feels wrong not knowing what your device is connected to."
Amazon Ring fire hazard
Earlier this month, Amazon subsidiary Ring announced the recall of about 350,000 smart doorbells following reports that some caught fire.
In a notice posted by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on Tuesday, hundreds of thousands of 2nd generation Ring doorbells sold in the US and Canada were affected by the recall due to potential fire hazard.
The CPSC notice also stated that the $100 doorbells were sold on Ring’s website and on Amazon between June 2020 and October 2020. The notice reads: “The video doorbell’s battery can overheat when the incorrect screws are used for installation, posing fire and burn hazards.”
According to the CPSC, Ring has received 23 reports so far of its doorbells catching fire, causing property damage and eight cases of minor burns.
Product safety officials have discovered that the use of a wrong screw was the cause of Ring smart doorbells catching fire or burning their owners.
They discovered that if a longer, sharper screw is used at the device’s base, it can damage the battery pack, causing it to overheat and catch fire, leading to property damage and injuries.
The 2nd generation Ring doorbells come packaged with a special small security screw to lock the front cover in place. This should be replaced every time the battery needs recharging, which is every few months.
The package also contains a set of longer wood screws, designed to fix the device to the wall. The overheating occurs when owners mix up these screws and or lose the original security screw and replace it with the longer ones.
