Amazon's annual Devices and Services event, scheduled for September 20, is expected to feature updates to its Echo speakers, Echo Show, Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation, Eero Wi-Fi routers, and possibly some wacky new products.
Main topic: Panos Panay has been hired by Amazon to lead the division responsible for Alexa and Echo smart devices, replacing Dave Limp.
Key points:
1. Panos Panay, former chief product officer at Microsoft, will be joining Amazon to oversee the Alexa and Echo division.
2. This move comes as Dave Limp, the previous executive in charge of Alexa and Echo, announced his retirement.
3. Panay's transition from Microsoft to Amazon involves him taking over a division that experienced layoffs last year.
Amazon's annual fall hardware event, Devices, will take place on September 20, featuring new releases in the ereader and smart speaker lines, as well as potential surprises like previous years' Alexa-powered robot and Ring drone.
Amazon is set to hire Panos Panay, departing Microsoft Windows and Surface chief, while Apple reports high demand for its iPhones; in other news, CRM, CCL, RCL, PLNT, INTU, SPLK, S, CLX, and BGS all have various stock updates.
Panos Panay, Microsoft's chief product officer and VP for devices, has announced his departure from the company after 19 years, leaving behind a dual software/hardware leadership role and uncertainties regarding the upcoming Microsoft Event and the future of the Surface line.
Amazon is preparing for its annual fall product announcements, with rumors suggesting big AI-driven changes for Alexa and a shake-up in its devices and services division, including the departure of hardware boss Dave Limp and the potential replacement by Microsoft's Panos Panay. Last year, Amazon introduced various new products, and while this year's event may be more muted, surprises are still expected. Additionally, Amazon is focusing on the smart home integration of its Fire TVs and Alexa, and it plans to cut down on the number of in-house brands it offers on its marketplace.
Amazon has unveiled its latest streaming players, the Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max, featuring upgraded processors for faster performance and enhanced features such as Wi-Fi 6, HDR support, and increased storage capacity. Additionally, Amazon has introduced the Fire TV Soundbar for an improved audio experience, and plans to release a software update for a smarter Alexa voice experience and a new "ambient experience" feature for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
Amazon has announced updates to its Fire TV lineup, including new devices and generative AI updates for Fire TV voice search, allowing users to ask more nuanced and open-ended questions about TV shows and movies. The devices also feature a "Continue Watching" row with titles from non-Amazon properties and will roll out in the U.S. later this year. Additionally, Amazon introduced a new Fire TV soundbar and a bundle that includes a subscription to MGM+.
Amazon hosted an event to introduce new devices and services, including an updated version of Alexa with optimized language models for voice interactions, new Echo and Ring products, next-generation Echo Frames, new Fire Tablets and Fire TV devices, and the eero Max 7 mesh system.
Microsoft is set to announce new Surface hardware and discuss its vision for AI-powered features in Windows, Office, Bing, and other products at a special event in New York City, following the departure of former Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay who is rumored to be joining Amazon.
