Eight Sleep adds ‘outage mode’ to smart beds after AWS problems left them frozen

Original story by: The Verge Last updated: Oct 22, 2025

Context: A significant Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage disrupted the functionality of thousands of Eight Sleep smart beds. Users were unable to control bed temperatures or positions, leading to discomfort and complaints.
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Detailed Summary:
- On Monday, a widespread AWS outage prevented Eight Sleep owners from adjusting their smart mattress features, including temperature and elevation.
- Users reported their beds were stuck at uncomfortable settings, such as high temperatures (up to 110F) or in an inclined position.
- Eight Sleep's Pod mattress toppers, which can cost over $2,000 and require a monthly subscription, rely on cloud connectivity for operation.
- Eight Sleep CEO Matteo Franceschetti apologized for the disruption, acknowledging the impact on user sleep.
- The company has started rolling out an "outage mode" that allows app-to-device communication via Bluetooth when cloud services are unavailable.
- This new feature enables basic controls like turning the Pod on/off, adjusting temperature, and flattening the bed base during outages.
- The lack of offline controls had been a recurring complaint from Eight Sleep customers for several years.
- As of Tuesday, all Eight Sleep devices were reported to be working again.