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Amazon is cutting about 250 jobs in its devices and services unit after weeks of product rollouts including new Kindle e-readers and tablet computers, according to a report in Reuters. Quoting a person familiar with the matter, the layoffs impact no more than 250 jobs, and are primarily in software development teams, according to the report. As is the company’s custom, text messages and emails were sent to employees early Wednesday morning (October 28). In January this year, Amazon announced that it is cutting 16,000 jobs across the company. Incidentally, the job cuts in the devices division came on the day Amazon unveiled five new Alexa-powered devices including a redesigned Echo Show 16 smart display and a photo frame with built-in Alexa. The Echo Show 16, which has a 16-inch screen, built-in Fire TV and Amazon’s first Echo Show camera with night vision, is priced at $499.99. A new Echo Studio speaker with a built-in camera, which lets Alexa recognize objects held up to it and lets users check on a room remotely, is priced at $249.99. The new Echo Dot is priced at $99.99. Echo Time is a bedside clock, priced at $199. The Alexa Photo Frame, starting at $199.99, syncs pictures automatically from Amazon Photos.
Ecommerce giant has announced new job cuts. The company reportedly confirmed the job cuts after a Reuters inquiry.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to eliminate a small number of roles,” a spokesperson said. The layoffs will help the company “operate more efficiently and better align with our product roadmap,” the statement added. A layoff email, reportedly seen by Reuters, was from Cherie Robinson, a human resources vice president in devices and services, saying that the company had undergone “a thorough review of our structure” resulting in the need for cuts. It uses sleep-sensing technology to wake users during lighter sleep, without a wearable device, according to the company.
Amazon layoffs are back. The new product launches come as Amazon pushes its latest version of the voice assistant into customers’ homes. Amazon is rolling out the devices as it faces growing competition from rivals including Apple, as well as AI companies such as OpenAI that have hardware ambitions. The device includes a built-in smart home hub and Wi-Fi extender for the first time.