Knock, Knock, Knocking on Future’s Door

Hi everyone, it’s Nate in London. Do you dream of a future in which strangers can let themselves into your apartment building and deposit milk and eggs in your fridge while you’re away? I ask because every month or so I seem to discover another company determined to convince me such a utopia not only possible, but brilliant.

First it was Amazon. In October, the retail giant announced a digital-key system to let its delivery drivers enter properties when customers aren’t home. The creatively named service — Amazon Key — includes a smart lock fitted to an external door, as well as a security camera to monitor the activities of the courier once inside.