Amazon buys mesh WiFi startup Eero to connect smart homes

Amazon is still busy snapping up companies to bolster its smart home business. This time it's acquiring Eero, the startup that has developed a solid reputation for its mesh WiFi routers. There's no mystery as to why it's making the move -- it likes the thought of an easy-setup WiFi system that can connect all the smart devices in your household, even in remote corners.

"We are incredibly impressed with the eero team and how quickly they invented a WiFi solution that makes connected devices just work," Amazon's Dave Limp said.

The company hasn't said how much it will pay for the deal or when it will close.

While it's too soon to say exactly what Amazon has planned for Eero, it's easy to see how the acquisition could help its bottom line. There's now a vast range of Alexa-aware devices that need reliable internet connections to work properly. Ring's doorbells and sensors could also benefit, as could Amazon's streaming services and Fire TV devices. With Eero, Amazon could become a one-stop shop that supplies both smart home gadgets and the routers you need to get them online. This might not please people concerned about Amazon's approach to privacy, but it could make life easier for smart home neophytes.