Smart beds leave sleepers hot and bothered during AWS outage

This week, a significant disruption at Amazon Web Services (AWS) left many users grappling with unexpected consequences, particularly for those relying on smart bed technology. The outage, triggered by a Domain Name System (DNS) issue, affected over 1,000 cloud-hosted services and impacted millions of individuals. Among the most notable inconveniences were the smart beds produced by Eight Sleep, which became unresponsive during this critical downtime. Users reported waking up in discomfort as their Eight Sleep beds were locked in elevated positions and unable to regulate temperatures. The Pods, which connect to a central hub and allow users to adjust their bed temperature from a range of 55° to 110° Fahrenheit through a mobile app, were rendered ineffective. Additionally, Eight Sleep's smart mattress bases, priced between $2,449 and $3,249, along with their $1,950 adjustable base, were similarly affected. The company also offers an Autopilot feature that is intended to optimize sleep conditions automatically, available through a yearly subscription starting at $199. However, users discovered that while the Pods include on-device buttons for manual temperature control, these functions still require an internet connection to operate properly. As a result, many found themselves unable to adjust their bedding during the outage, leading to uncomfortable nights. One frustrated user shared their experience on Reddit, stating, "I woke up too hot in the middle of the night and kept double-tapping like a maniac to adjust the temperature since I wasn’t getting any feedback. I only figured out the problem in the morning." Another individual expressed their frustration on X, highlighting the absurdity of their bed being stuck in an inclined position due to the outage. The incident has sparked discussions about the reliability of smart home devices, especially those that depend heavily on internet connectivity for basic functions.