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Tag: Amazon

  • Amazon Agrees to Major Business Changes in the EU to Head Off Probe

    Amazon Agrees to Major Business Changes in the EU to Head Off Probe

    Amazon has reached an agreement with the EU to make major changes to its business in exchange for heading off antitrust probes.

    Amazon was under fire for dealing unfairly with third-party sellers, preferring its own retail business over those of competitors, as well as for using its sellers’ non-public data to fine-tune its own services and gain an advantage.

    The EU Commission outlined its concerns in a statement:

    In July 2019, the Commission opened a formal investigation into Amazon’s use of non-public data of its marketplace sellers. On 10 November 2020, the Commission adopted a Statement of Objections in which it preliminarily found Amazon dominant on the French and German markets, for the provision of online marketplace services to third-party sellers. It also found that that Amazon’s reliance on marketplace sellers’ non-public business data to calibrate its retail decisions, distorted fair competition on its platform and prevented effective competition.

    In parallel, on 10 November 2020, the Commission opened a second investigation to assess whether the criteria that Amazon sets to select the winner of the Buy Box and to enable sellers to offer products under its Prime Programme, lead to preferential treatment of Amazon’s retail business or of the sellers that use Amazon’s logistics and delivery services.

    As part of the agreement, Amazon will no longer use non-public data from its sellers to improve its own products. The company will also make offers and products from competing sellers equally visible in its “Buy Box.” The terms of the deal will be enforced for seven years, but will only be in effect within the EU.

    “Today’s decision sets new rules for how Amazon operates its business in Europe,” said Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President in charge of competition policy. “Amazon can no longer abuse its dual role and will have to change several business practices. They cover the use of data, the selection of sellers in the Buy Box and the conditions of access to the Amazon Prime Programme. Competing independent retailers and carriers as well as consumers will benefit from these changes opening up new opportunities and choice.

  • Amazon Ordered to Stop Anti-Union Retaliation

    Amazon Ordered to Stop Anti-Union Retaliation

    Amazon’s anti-union efforts have been dealt a major blow, with a judge ordering the company to stop anti-union retaliation.

    Amazon has a long history of fighting union efforts. The company has been accused of intimidation tactics, has hired Pinkerton detectives to combat unionization, and has been accused of wrongfully firing employees who tried organizing. The company’s actions have even prompted its investors to raise concerns.

    According to Labor 411, Judge Diane Gujarati of the United States District Court for the District of Eastern New York has issued an injunction against Amazon, ordering it to cease and desist from any retaliatory measures, such as firing employees who organize.

    The decision was in response to accusations that Amazon wrongfully fired an employee at its Staten Island location during unionization efforts there.

    “The Judge’s order in this case recognizes Amazon’s unlawful conduct and provides the full force of a federal court injunction to prohibit Amazon from further discharging employees for engaging in protected concerted activity,” said Region 29 Brooklyn Director Teresa Poor. “This relief is critical to ensure that Amazon employees can fully and freely exercise their rights to join together and improve their working conditions, including by forming, assisting, or joining a union.”

  • Amazon’s Advertising Unit the Latest to Suffer a Headcount Freeze

    Amazon’s Advertising Unit the Latest to Suffer a Headcount Freeze

    Amazon’s advertising unit is freezing its headcount as the company deals with economic headwinds impacting the industry.

    Amazon delivered weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter guidance, an indication the company is struggling with the economic uncertainties and challenges facing the tech industry at large.

    According to Bloomberg, by way of Business Insider, Amazon will continue to fill existing roles but will not create any new jobs within the advertising unit. Amazon did not confirm the news, only telling Bloomberg there were a “significant number of open roles” available.

    “We have many different businesses at various stages of evolution, and we expect to keep adjusting our hiring strategies in each of these businesses at various junctures,” the spokesperson added.

    The move to freeze advertising headcount is especially significant since the unit is one of the company’s fastest-growing divisions and is in third place behind Google and Meta. The measure is evidence of the steps Amazon’s execs are willing to take in order to cut costs and increase profitability.

  • Workers at Amazon’s Largest Air Hub, in Northern KY, Push for Unionization

    Workers at Amazon’s Largest Air Hub, in Northern KY, Push for Unionization

    Amazon’s unionization woes are increasing, with workers at the company’s largest air hub pushing to organize.

    Amazon has aggressively battled union organization efforts for years, even going so far as to deploy Pinkerton detectives to deter attempts. Despite its stance, support for unionization has been growing, and the company’s largest air hub outside of Cincinnati Northern Kentucky international airport is the latest site to experience significant union pressure.

    According to The Guardian, workers are displeased with annual pay raises, with at least 400 of them signing a petition to have a peak season premium hourly rate enacted. Amazon normally pays its warehouse workers more during the holiday season, when sales reach their yearly peak but has yet to implement it at the NKY site.

    Read more: Amazon Once Again Going Full-Press Against Unionization Efforts

    “We have to operate a lot of heavy machinery, freight loaders, cargo tractors and things like that, and people aren’t paid any extra to do that work,” said Griffin Ritze, an air associate and ramp agent, and one of the organizing members onsite. “They just cross-train you in as many roles as possible and you’re constantly shuffled around.”

    Workers have also complained that Amazon is not clearly communicating with them, including over things as serious as being written up.

    “We do not have any clue that we are written up and never notified about it until we go to apply for a better position, that’s when we’ll find out,” said Steven Kelley, a learning ambassador at the KY site.

    The employees ultimately make the point that Amazon depends on its warehouse and shipping workers as the lifeblood of the company and should therefore take better care of them.

    “We’re the lifeblood of the company, not corporate, not upper management. We’re actually the ones who are sorting the freight, and loading the freight,” said Jordan Martin, a ramp associate at the air hub. “It’s the lifeblood of the company, the workers, who are actually organizing this effort and why we’re pushing for the better benefits that we’re trying to fight for.”

  • Amazon Commits $1 Billion a Year for Theatrical Releases

    Amazon Commits $1 Billion a Year for Theatrical Releases

    The movie industry received good news Wednesday, with Amazon committing more than $1 billion a year for theatrical releases.

    The movie industry has had a rough couple of years as the pandemic took a toll on in-person attendance. Amazon is deeply entrenched in the industry — for an internet company — thanks to its Prime Video service and its MGM studio acquisition.

    According to a report by Bloomberg, Amazon plans to make 12 to 15 movies a year for theatrical release. The combined budget will be more than $1 billion.

    The news led to a significant boost to cinema stocks, according to CNBC.

  • Amazon May Deploy Facial Recognition to Confirm Seller Identity

    Amazon May Deploy Facial Recognition to Confirm Seller Identity

    Amazon is testing various methods to streamline seller identity verification, including facial recognition.

    Facial recognition is a controversial technology, with critics raising concerns over privacy, security, racial profiling, and more. That isn’t stopping Amazon from testing the technology as a way to speed up and simply seller verification.

    The company announced its intentions in a blog post:

    Today, we are starting to test a new, optional experience for prospective sellers that uses forgery detection, facial recognition, and liveness detection technology to quickly verify the authenticity of government-issued identity documents and whether they match the individual applying to sell in our store. Our test will determine whether we can achieve the same robustness of identity verification as our current processes while also providing a better experience for sellers who choose this verification process.

    Companies and organizations that have tried to roll out facial recognition for identify verification have quickly learned of the pitfalls involved. The IRS infamously tried to enforce the use of facial recognition for online accounts, only to backtrack over the backlash it received.

  • Amazon Reportedly Plans to Lay Off 10,000

    Amazon Reportedly Plans to Lay Off 10,000

    Amazon may soon be joining Meta in one of the biggest mass layoffs of 2022, with the company reportedly looking to lay off 10,000 employees.

    Amazon has already engaged in major hiring freezes and let attrition reduce its headcount. The company appears poised to take far more aggressive action, with The New York Times reporting that it plans to lay off roughly 10,000 employees.

    The Times sources said the layoffs will primarily hit corporate and technology positions. Cuts will include the devices organization, responsible for Alexa, as well as HR and retail.

    The fact that Amazon is reportedly taking this measure during the holiday season, when its economic situation is the strongest, speaks volumes about the overall health of the economy. As the Times points out, this is a major change from earlier this year when companies were trying to keep talented workers and not lose them to competitors.

    If the layoffs proceed as reported, it would be the second-largest of the year, behind Meta’s 11,000.

  • Amazon Unveils Next-Gen Drone for Deliveries

    Amazon Unveils Next-Gen Drone for Deliveries

    Amazon has announced a new drone for deliveries, the MK30, offering a slew of improvements over its predecessor.

    Amazon has been investing in drone deliveries in an effort to improve customer service, improve delivery speed, and reduce costs. The company plans to introduce the MK30 in 2024 in areas where it is testing its drone delivery program.

    The company outlined the benefits of the new model in a blog post:

    We’re now introducing our next generation delivery drone: the MK30. Due to come into service in 2024, this drone will be lighter and smaller than the MK27-2, the drone that will be making deliveries in Lockeford and College Station. The MK30’s increased range, expanded temperature tolerance, safety-critical features, and new capability to fly in light rain will enable customers to choose drone delivery more often.

    The company has also worked to reduce the noise profile of the new drone, so as not to disturb customers and neighborhoods:

    Reducing the noise signature of our drones is an important engineering challenge that our team is working on. Our drones fly hundreds of feet in the air, well above people and structures. Even when they descend to deliver packages, our drones are generally quieter than a range of sounds you would commonly hear in a typical neighborhood. Still, Prime Air’s Flight Science team has created new custom-designed propellers that will reduce the MK30’s perceived noise by another 25%. That’s a game-changer, and we’re very excited about it.

  • Customers Will Be Able to Use Venmo for Amazon Purchases

    Customers Will Be Able to Use Venmo for Amazon Purchases

    Amazon is prepping support for Venmo as a payment option, with plans to make it available in time for the holiday season.

    Venmo is a popular secure payment platform owned by PayPal. Amazon announced that it will begin supporting Venmo on Amazon.com, as well as within the Amazon app. Support will begin rolling out to select Amazon customers today, with full support in the US in time for Black Friday.

    “We want to offer customers payment options that are convenient, easy to use, and secure—and there’s no better time for that than the busy holiday season. Whether it’s paying with cash, buying now and paying later, or now paying via Venmo, our goal is to meet the needs and preferences of every Amazon customer,” said Max Bardon, vice president of Amazon Worldwide Payments. “We’re excited to continue to offer customers even more options when it comes to how and when they want to pay for their order.”

    Once support is added, customers will be able to set up their Venmo account as a payment option and select it when making a purchase.

    Credit: Amazon
    Credit: Amazon

    “We know that the Venmo community of nearly 90 million users value the safety, security, ease, and familiarity that paying with Venmo helps to bring to the checkout experience,” said Doug Bland, senior vice president and general manager, head of consumer, PayPal. “The ability to pay with Venmo on Amazon continues our ongoing commitment to offer the community more ways to spend, send, receive, and manage their money with Venmo.”

  • Amazon Freezes Corporate Hiring

    Amazon Freezes Corporate Hiring

    Amazon is cracking down on hiring even more, freezing all “incremental” corporate hiring, according to a new report.

    Amazon has been struggling with the economic headwinds facing the tech industry, as well as the world. The company recently froze hiring for its advertising unit, despite it being one of the fastest growing divisions within the company.

    Amazon has now frozen corporate hiring and plans to keep the freeze in place for some time.

    “With the economy in an uncertain place and in light of how many people we have hired in the last few years, Andy and S-team decided this week to pause on new incremental hires in our corporate workforce,” wrote Beth Galetti, senior vice-president of People Experience and Technology at Amazon, in a company blog post.

    “We had already done so in a few of our businesses in recent weeks and have added our other businesses to this approach,” Galetti continues. “We anticipate keeping this pause in place for the next few months, and will continue to monitor what we’re seeing in the economy and the business to adjust as we think makes sense.”

  • Amazon’s Fourth-Quarter Guidance Disappoints

    Amazon’s Fourth-Quarter Guidance Disappoints

    Amazon’s third-quarter results met expectations, but its fourth-quarter guidance disappointed Wall Street.

    Amazon reported $127.1 billion in net sales for the quarter, a 15% increase over the year-ago quarter. The company’s net income came in at $2.9 billion, or $0.28 per diluted share. While this was a decrease from the year-ago quarter, it still beat expectations.

    Despite the results, the stock took a hit on weak fourth-quarter guidance. While analysts were expecting estimates of $155 billion, the company’s guidance came in at $140 to $148 billion.

    CEO Andy Jassy emphasized the company’s focus on lowering costs and improved Prime Member deals.

    “In the past four months, employees across our consumer businesses have worked relentlessly to put together compelling Prime Member Deal Events with our eighth annual Prime Day and the brand new Prime Early Access Sale in early October. The customer response to both events was quite positive, and it’s clear that particularly during these uncertain economic times, customers appreciate Amazon’s continued focus on value and convenience,” said Jassy. “We’re also encouraged by the steady progress we’re making on lowering costs in our stores fulfillment network, and have a set of initiatives that we’re methodically working through that we believe will yield a stronger cost structure for the business moving forward. There is obviously a lot happening in the macroeconomic environment, and we’ll balance our investments to be more streamlined without compromising our key long-term, strategic bets. What won’t change is our maniacal focus on the customer experience, and we feel confident that we’re ready to deliver a great experience for customers this holiday shopping season.”

    Despite Jassy’s optimism, Amazon’s stock dropped almost 20% following the report.

    According to GeekWire, CFO Brian Olsavsky warned there may be more bad news to come.

    “We are preparing for what could be a slower growth period.”

  • Amazon Facing $1 Billion UK Lawsuit for Unfairly Promoting Its Own Products

    Amazon Facing $1 Billion UK Lawsuit for Unfairly Promoting Its Own Products

    Amazon is facing a massive lawsuit in the UK over claims it unfairly favors and promotes its own products.

    Gatekeeper companies that sell their own products and services, while also providing a means for competitors to do the same, are coming under increased scrutiny. Apple and Amazon are two such companies that have both been accused of unfairly favoring their own products over those of the other companies that sell via their platforms.

    According to Reuters, Amazon is facing a $1 billion lawsuit in the UK over such accusations. The case is being brought by consumer rights advocate Julie Hunter.

    “Far from being a recommendation based on price or quality, the Buy Box favours products sold by Amazon itself, or by retailers who pay Amazon for handling their logistics,” Hunter said in a statement. “Other sellers, however good their offers might be, are effectively shut out.”

    Amazon has disputed the merits of the case:

    “This claim is without merit and we’re confident that will become clear through the legal process,” a company spokesperson said.

  • “Regretted Attrition” Is Costing Amazon $8 Billion per Year

    “Regretted Attrition” Is Costing Amazon $8 Billion per Year

    Amazon has a big problem, with attrition costing the company $8 billion a year, with the company’s “regretted attrition” off the charts.

    Reports have been surfacing for some time that Amazon has a personnel problem. Reports surfaced in May that Amazon’s “regretted attrition,” the term for losing employees a company wants to keep, doubled over last year. According to an exclusive new report by Engadget, the issue is now costing Amazon some $8 billion a year.

    Sources provided Engadget with documents marked “Amazon Confidential” that detailed the scope of the company’s attrition issues:

    “[Worldwide] Consumer Field Operations is experiencing high levels of attrition (regretted and unregretted) across all levels, totaling an estimated $8 billion annually for Amazon and its shareholders,” one document states.

    The problem is severe enough that “regretted attrition” far outpaces “unregretted attrition,” the term for people being laid off or fired.

    “Regretted attrition occurs twice as often as unregretted attrition across all levels and businesses,” continues the paper. The paper also “indicates regretted attrition [represents] a low of 69.5% to a high of 81.3% across all levels (Tier 1 through Level 10 employees) suggesting a distinct retention issue.”

    Even worse for the company, “only one out of three new hires in 2021” stayed with the company for more than 90 days.

    What’s interesting, in the wake of this report, is Amazon’s efforts to thin its employee numbers through attrition. The company revealed in August that it was using attrition to reduce its headcount by 100,000. One can’t help but wonder if Amazon would have been better off retraining some of those individuals and moving them into other roles since it clearly has a hard time attracting and keeping new talent.

    Many companies are struggling with employee retention. The pandemic forever changed the nature of the workforce, with many employees demanding more freedom and flexibility than ever before. Amazon’s issues, however, are far worse than the industry average, and there doesn’t appear to be a solution in sight.

  • Amazon Will Launch First Kuiper Satellites Next Year

    Amazon Will Launch First Kuiper Satellites Next Year

    Amazon is nearly ready to begin deploying its Kuiper satellite internet constellation, with plans to launch the first two next year.

    Project Kuiper is designed to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet but has yet to launch any satellites. The company now plans to launch the first two prototype satellites in early 2023, using United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) new Vulcan Centaur rocket.

    ULA is scheduled to provide 47 launches for our satellite constellation, and using Vulcan Centaur for this mission will give us practical experience working together ahead of those launches. The rocket will launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, and our prototype satellites are scheduled to share the ride with the Peregrine lunar lander, a NASA-funded spacecraft from Astrobotic.

    Amazon has deals for 92 launches with ULA, Blue Origin, and Arianespace. The launches will deploy a total of 3,236 Kuiper satellites. The initial prototype launch will help provide Amazon with the necessary data to ensure subsequent launches are successful.

    “We couldn’t be more excited to join the first launch of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur. We’ve already secured 38 Kuiper launches on Vulcan, and using the same launch vehicle for our prototype mission gives us a chance to practice payload integration, processing, and mission management procedures ahead of those full-scale commercial launches,” said Rajeev Badyal, vice president of technology for Project Kuiper. “Our prototype satellites will be ready this year, and we look forward to flying with ULA.”

  • Amazon to Hire 150,000 Workers for Holiday Season

    Amazon to Hire 150,000 Workers for Holiday Season

    Despite hiring freezes across the industry, Amazon is planning to hire 150,000 workers for the holiday season.

    Amazon has been freezing hiring for a number of departments, including corporate retail and its Global Corporate Affairs Group. The company has also let attrition reduce its headcount by some 100,000.

    With the holiday season approaching, however, Amazon is planning to hire an additional 150,000 workers.

    “We’re proud to offer a wide variety of roles for people of all backgrounds, with more than 150,000 roles available across the country. Whether someone is looking for some extra money for a few months or a long-term career, the holidays are a great time for people to join Amazon, and many of our seasonal employees return year-after-year or transition into full-time roles,” said John Felton, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations. “Those who choose to stay with us will find a lot of opportunities to grow their careers, whether they take advantage of our free college tuition programs or seek out promotions across our network—this year alone, more than 20,000 front-line employees received promotions.”

  • Amazon Freezes Corporate Retail Hiring for Remainder of 2022

    Amazon Freezes Corporate Retail Hiring for Remainder of 2022

    Amazon is continuing its hiring freezes, pausing hiring in corporate retail for the remainder of 2022.

    Amazon has been working to reduce its headcount as a result of the economic downturn. The company had already prepared to flatten hiring for its Global Corporate Affairs (GCA) group and relied on attrition to reduce its headcount by 100,000 across the company.

    According to The New York Times, the company sent an email to recruiters telling them it was pausing hiring for its corporate retail division. As the Times points out, there were 20,000 such open jobs as recently as Monday.

    Amazon reportedly told recruiters not to describe the situation as a “hiring freeze,” but said all the open jobs should be closed and new jobs will not be posted until next year.

    Candidates that had interviews scheduled before October 15 may be grandfathered in and receive offers if they are a good fit. Even if they are hired, however, they will not start their new jobs until next year.

    “Amazon continues to have a significant number of open roles available across the company,” Brad Glasser, an Amazon spokesman, told the Times in a statement. “We have many different businesses at various stages of evolution, and we expect to keep adjusting our hiring strategies in each of these businesses at various junctures.”

  • Amazon Wants Call Center Employees to Work From Home So It Can Close Offices

    Amazon Wants Call Center Employees to Work From Home So It Can Close Offices

    Amazon is bucking a trend among some of the biggest tech companies, urging its call center employees to work from home.

    Many of the world’s biggest tech companies are trying to get their employees to come back to the office in an effort to return to normal. According to a report by Bloomberg, Amazon is taking a different approach by encouraging its US call center employees to work from home. The outlet’s sources indicated the move is driven by the company’s desire to close some offices and save on real estate.

    Read more: Amazon Raising Front-Line Worker Pay to an Average of $19 per Hour

    While a company spokesperson did not comment on real estate plans, they confirmed the preference for remote work in some roles.

    “We’re offering additional members of our customer service team the increased flexibility that comes with working virtually,” Amazon spokesman Brad Glasser told Bloomberg. “We’re working with employees to make sure their transition is seamless while continuing to prioritize best-in-class support for customers.”

    Amazon’s approach is a refreshing alternative to Apple and Google. Both companies have upset employees by aggressively pushing them to return to the office. In contrast, Amazon appears to be acknowledging that some jobs don’t require in-person employees and can be done just as well remotely. Rather than something to avoid, Amazon appears to recognize that it can benefit from such a transition.

  • Amazon Raising Front-Line Worker Pay to an Average of $19 per Hour

    Amazon Raising Front-Line Worker Pay to an Average of $19 per Hour

    Amazon is raising starting pay for front-line workers, paying them an average of $19 per hour at a cost of nearly $1 billion.

    Amazon is spending nearly $1 billion over the next year to raise starting pay for its front-line workers. The company says workers’ starting pay will increase, with employees making anywhere from $16 and $26 per hour, with an average of $19.

    “Front-line employees across customer fulfillment and transportation will now earn, on average, more than $19 per hour in the U.S., and they also have access to a growing range of comprehensive benefits to support themselves and their families,” said John Felton, Amazon’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations. “Continuing to invest in pay, providing easy access to earned wages at any time during the month, and offering great benefits and career advancement opportunities are all part of our long-term efforts to be the best employer in the world.”

    The company is also expanding its employee development program, adding the Amazon Intelligence Initiative. The program will help employees transition to engineering jobs within the company’s AWS cloud business. Individuals enrolled in the program will continue to have full-time employment, complete with benefits and good pay, while they complete their training.

    Amazon is clearly trying to keep employees happy at a time when it is experiencing more pressure than ever from various unionization efforts. The company also enraged employees when it backtracked on raises, blaming a software glitch for the higher packages it initially promised employees.

  • Amazon Backtracks on Pay Raises, Blames Software Bug

    Amazon Backtracks on Pay Raises, Blames Software Bug

    Amazon wants a do-over on employee pay raises, saying a software bug led to artificially high numbers.

    Amazon has been struggling with employee satisfaction for some time, with its attrition rate for its most desirable employees doubling in recent years. The company increased its maximum base salary to $350,000 in February in an effort to keep employees happy, but it may have wiped out any goodwill it generated.

    Unfortunately for the company, its latest raise did not go smoothly, according to Business Insider. Amazon’s software evidently used an older, higher stock price to calculate bonuses, resulting in many corporate employees initially being told they would receive a larger compensation package than intended. The issue especially impacted employees that were recently promoted.

    Rather than honor the initial amount, Amazon sent out an email to managers informing them the packages would be smaller than promised. Having seen both the email and an internal trouble ticket, Insider says as many as 40% of employees promoted this quarter were “impacted by this issue.”

    Needless to say, Amazon’s handling of the debacle is not going over well, with employees accusing the company of nickel-and-diming them. One employee said Amazon was “taking away something that somewhat made us whole.”

    Amazon representative Brad Glasser told Insider the company “identified and immediately corrected an issue with some newly promoted employees’ compensation communications.”

    “We are working with employees to ensure they understand their updated compensation,” Glasser added.

    It’s a safe bet Amazon’s employee morale issues are just beginning.

  • We Finally Know When Amazon’s Second Prime Day Event Is

    We Finally Know When Amazon’s Second Prime Day Event Is

    Details have emerged about Amazon’s rumored secondary Prime Day event, called Prime Early Access Sale.

    Amazon has been rumored to be planning a second Prime Day event for months. The company reportedly sent out notices to retailers, asking them to submit promotional deals no later than September.

    According to The Verge, Amazon has finally revealed details about the event, calling it Prime Early Access Sale. The Verge linked to an Amazon page, but the link is currently dead. It’s unclear if Amazon accidentally leaked the details early or if there are still changes to be made.

    Before the page went down, there didn’t seem to be much different between the normal Amazon Prime Day and Prime Early Access Sale, other than the name. According to The Verge, the event will run from Tuesday, October 11th at 3AM ET / 12AM PT through Wednesday, October 12th.

  • Amazon Sends Out Invites to Its Annual Launch Event on September 28

    Amazon Sends Out Invites to Its Annual Launch Event on September 28

    Amazon’s annual product launch event is scheduled for September 28, with the company sending invitations to journalists.

    According to The Verge, new Echo devices are most likely to debut later this month. Unlike some past years, there haven’t been many substantial rumors about what to expect. The Echo is a logical choice, however, since it’s been two years since the last big update.

    The event is slated to begin 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET on September 28. Interesingly Amazon is reportedly planning to roll out a second Prime Day in Q4 2022. It’s possible whatever products are unveiled on the 28th will help anchor the Prime Fall Deal Event.