Amazon reportedly paid $90 million for Blink’s chip technology

Amazon snapped up home security camera company Blink in December in what many assumed was just another acquisition by the e-commerce giant to strengthen its Amazon Key smart lock and camera delivery service. However, sources tell Reuters that Amazon acquired Blink for much more than its camera tech. They say Amazon primarily bought Blink to get ahold of the startup’s energy-efficient chip technology. It is believed Amazon thinks Blink’s chips could lower production costs and extend the battery life of Amazon’s other products, such as the Echo. Currently, the Echo requires a plugged-in power source to operate, but Blink’s cameras–thanks to its energy efficient chips–can run for two years on a single pair of AA lithium batteries.