EkaLore has previously released a look at Amazon’s pushing into new markets as an Alien Invader. In one release we looked at Amazon’s failed experiment with the Amazon Fire Smartphone. Current speculation has the Amazon devices efforts on the possible list for major layoffs and reductions in spend. What Amazon does with failed Alien Invasions is the subject of this release.
Amazon is the subject of speculation suggesting major layoffs and reductions as part of a reduction in force of up to 10,000 Amazon-HQ/white-collar (non-warehouse and non-distribution and non-fulfillment) workers. Even as Amazon has been hiring up to 150,000 temporary workers for the 4Q2022 holiday season serious reductions are being considered across the enterprise to improve margins.
Amazon Fire Smartphone was discontinued in August 2015 after launching in June 2014 (manufactured by Foxconn). In 2021 the CEO had this to say about the effort:
“The phone was unsuccessful, and though we determined we were probably too late to this party and directed these resources elsewhere, we hired some fantastic long-term builders and learned valuable lessons from this failure that have served us well in devices like Echo and FireTV.”
Amazon Echo had been in development since 2011 parallel to the Amazon Fire Phone. Echo has gone thru many changes recognizable now as Amazon Alexa. Noteworthy is the 2017 Amazon Tap which required a touch to engage unlike the “always on” of Alexa. Amazon FireTV was launched in April 2014 with additional devices launched thru October 2022. Amazon devices have been launched in many global markets and include Amazon FireTV and separate add-ons.
Amazon thus took a failed BAD Project (AI-embedded speech, interactions, and other features) and re-tasked resources and lessons learned into other successful products. A key benefit was the talent gained during the effort and the lessons learned by the people who worked on the failure.
Amazon took value from even a BAD Project by moving resources and learning lessons it transferred to newer products and ongoing developments. EkaLore has provided a look at these strategies. (https://www.ekalore.com/blog-1/search/amazon) If Amazon reduces ongoing device efforts due to major strategy changes, they will likely apply the same methods to retain talent and lessons. Newer Amazon products will surely benefit – in yet another Amazon Alien Invasion.
Коментарі