Amazon hires Xbox co-founder to lead ZeroOne team that will create breakthrough products
The Verge notes that a job listing for the new team reveals that one of these breakthrough products could be a smart home device. Reportedly, the ZeroOne team has job listings for senior roles in applied science, product marketing, and customer insights. The description for the role in applied science reveals that the person will be working on 'a new smart-home product', The Verge report reveals. Amazon already has a series of smart home devices under the Echo range of products that are powered by its AI software Alexa.advertisementAdditionally, Amazon has reportedly also brought together people from across its various divisions, drawing on expertise from teams behind Alexa, the Luna cloud gaming platform, and the Halo sleep-tracking device, according to LinkedIn profiles of those now working on the ZeroOne initiative. One of the group's leaders is the former head of Lightform, a projection mapping startup previously acquired by Amazon.While Amazon is setting up a new team, the company is also cutting some corners at the same time. Earlier this year, Amazon laid off 100 employees from its Devices and Services unit, which oversees products like Echo speakers, Alexa, Kindle, and Zoox self-driving cars. According to the company, these layoffs were needed to align better with its product roadmap and streamline operations. Was it preparing to set up the ZeroOne team? Maybe. At the time, the company had said that the layoffs will help the company move faster.
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