Amazon Web Services Outage Affects Smart Bed Users
A recent late-night outage of Amazon Web Services (AWS) has disrupted the sleep of users relying on subscription-based bed services. The issue was reported around 3 a.m. ET on Monday, stemming from an operational glitch at one of Amazon’s centers in Northern Virginia and affecting fourteen different services.
AWS accounts for about 6.3% of all websites, which means numerous major apps and online businesses are interdependent on its functionality. So, when AWS experiences downtime, it often causes a ripple effect across many platforms.
During the outage, popular applications like Snapchat and McDonald’s faced accessibility issues. However, the users of Eight Sleep’s smart beds had a particularly challenging night, as their mattresses were unable to connect to AWS servers, leaving them in uncomfortable conditions.
Eight Sleep offers smart mattresses that range from $2,500 to $7,000, requiring a monthly subscription. These beds feature a hub that connects to the company’s servers, along with temperature-adjustable covers and optional temperature-controlled pillows and blankets. Once the servers went down, users noticed that various functionalities ceased operating correctly.
One frustrated user shared their experience on X, saying, “Tonight I learned that Eight Sleep runs on AWS. I’m currently in a sweaty bed, and the temperature is stuck at +9 degrees.” Another tech-savvy individual chimed in, noting that “any backend outage means you’re sleeping in a sauna.”
The CEO of Eight Sleep, Matteo Franceschetti, responded promptly, acknowledging the reliance on AWS and assuring customers that a fix was in progress. He mentioned there’s a new “backup mode” being developed for the smart beds. This mode will enable the hub to connect via Bluetooth when cloud services or Wi-Fi are down, ensuring access to essential features during outages.
Despite this promising update, users have raised concerns about the substantial data transfer involved with the annual subscription fee of $200 to $400. For instance, one user reported that their app was transferring over 16 gigabytes of data monthly.
In the meantime, some users are finding creative workarounds. For example, one engineer connected an aquarium cooler to their bed to mitigate the overheating issue caused by the outage. “My aquarium cooler doesn’t rely on AWS, and I can control it locally using a $10 HomeKit plug,” they explained.
