Today, itcovers 90% of the US, and Amazon is opening it up for anyone to use.
Amazon Sidewalk works by sharing the internet connection of anyone using an Amazon rig.
It’s designed for devices that use only a little data.
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For example, it allows Ring cameras to send notifications even if the owner’s internet connection is cut.
Now, Amazon isopening Sidewalk up to developers, and the impact could be huge.
That’s where Sidewalk comes in.
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Amazon claims that it covers over 90% of the US.
The benefits for users are obvious.
Imagine if you could just buy a connected machine, switch it on, and it just works.
Of course, this being Amazon, there are downsides.
Yes, Amazon’s data pipe.
That amount of control is worrying, even if you trust the company wielding it.
If only there were some sort of rules to prevent companies from opting people into features like this!
And finally, what if you want to disconnect a machine?
Right now, you could pull out a SIM card or change the password for your home Wi-Fi.
With a Sidewalk-enabled gear, it might not be so simple.
Imagine a smart TV with Sidewalk.
It could exfiltrate all your viewing data even if you never connected it to your home Wi-Fi.
Andyour TV is almost certainly extracting and sharingthat data.
As ever, it’s a trade-off between the extra convenience and the risks to your security or privacy.
And Amazon might not even be that much worse than anybody else.
Used right, Sidewalk could really be transformative, allowing anything, almost anywhere, to stay connected.
But the possible risks are both real and huge.
