Lab126 layoffs

[tomsem]

WSJ reports that Amazon has layed off 'dozens' of engineers who previously worked on Fire Phone, as part of a restructuring of the division.

Other (second hand) reports these were 'hardware engineers' but I haven't found any source for that term, which might imply only that they were outsourcing design and production of the next device, much as Nook has with Samsung or Google has done with ASUS and so forth.

To me, it still makes a lot of sense that Amazon would want its customers to carry an Amazon smartphone everywhere, and that device doesn't need to have 'dynamic perspective' to be successful. They can put FireOS on anything that would otherwise run Android and call it Fire Phone 2. But there seems no evidence that that is the plan, otherwise they could have laid off people months ago.

Meanwhile, on amazon.com, Fire Phone is not currently available. As of a couple of days ago, it was selling unlocked 32GB model for $129 (including 1 year of Prime). So it looks like it has sold out.

As a happy Fire Phone owner, I'm a little saddened, because it may mean there are no plans for significant updates to the existing Fire Phone. I'd like to see Lollypop, 'Alexa' voice assistent, and some smoothing of the rough edges in the Amazon apps I make heavy use of. I am not planning to get a new smartphone any time soon, but at least when I do get a new one, I will have had a pretty decent and inexpensive (I paid $180 including 1 yr Prime) one for awhile.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of Lab126 this fall.

[Rizla]

http://goodereader.com/blog/electron...the-fire-phone

I have heard that most employees who work on prototype projects at Lab126 want to make cool tech, but CEO Jeff Bezos wants to sell things at cost and turn them into gateways to buy more things from Amazon. This is causing some friction and many employees such as Jon McCormack, the chief technology officer are jumping ship to other companies.

There seems to be a conflict between innovating and selling content at Amazon. Inevitably, the latter will win out.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by tomsem

As a happy Fire Phone owner, I'm a little saddened, because it may mean there are no plans for significant updates to the existing Fire Phone. I'd like to see Lollypop, 'Alexa' voice assistent, and some smoothing of the rough edges in the Amazon apps I make heavy use of. I am not planning to get a new smartphone any time soon, but at least when I do get a new one, I will have had a pretty decent and inexpensive (I paid $180 including 1 yr Prime) one for awhile.

Updates will be problematic if they've killed off the phone.

I'd also like to see Amazon Underground added. Even better, I'd like to see Amazon use the same OS version as the Fire Tablets. The phone seems to be the unwanted stepchild in the Fire lineup. Always the last one to get new features. Even Android devices get features before the phone does.

[Rizla]

The phone's dead by the sound of it. It may not get any updates at all.

I wonder how this will impact Amazon's other flirtations with innovation, such as the Echo. Didn't they also dump their TV project?

[SleepyBob]

Originally Posted by Rizla

The phone's dead by the sound of it. It may not get any updates at all.

I wonder how this will impact Amazon's other flirtations with innovation, such as the Echo. Didn't they also dump their TV project?

The difference is that the phone never sold from the get-go. I think the Kindle Fire line and Echo both have a decent uptake and short-term future.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

The difference is that the phone never sold from the get-go. I think the Kindle Fire line and Echo both have a decent uptake and short-term future.

Premium priced smartphones are not a very good market to be in unless you're Apple.
Even SAMSUNG is hurting.

If they'd launched it a year earlier or gone after the budget smartphone market they would've had a chance.
But LAB126 isn't geared to do me-too projects.
Pretty much everything they've done since the Tablets has been a trojan of one kind or another; the STB is more of a low end gaming console than a streamer box (though it is excellent at it) and Echo turns out to be a home automation hub disguised as a bluetooth speaker. Both come with big upsides on their hidden sides, whereas the phone was simply too expensive to break out as a mobile gaming play.

It happens.
in the tech world if you don't trip once in a while you're not trying hard enough.
Everybody has a turkey or three in their barn.
Do we really want to name them?

[murg]

Originally Posted by Rizla

http://goodereader.com/blog/electron...the-fire-phone



There seems to be a conflict between innovating and selling content at Amazon. Inevitably, the latter will win out.

There is no conflict. Amazon exists to sell stuff. Everything they do is geared to that direction. It just looks like the employees in the lab didn't get the memo.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by murg

There is no conflict. Amazon exists to sell stuff. Everything they do is geared to that direction. It just looks like the employees in the lab didn't get the memo.

On the one hand, you're correct.

On the other, when businesses hire for this type of work they usually emphasize the cutting edge innovation and never even mention the idea of product marketing.

[murg]

Originally Posted by cromag

On the one hand, you're correct.

On the other, when businesses hire for this type of work they usually emphasize the cutting edge innovation and never even mention the idea of product marketing.

That's because they are selling the position to the potential engineer (for want of a better word).

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by murg

That's because they are selling the position to the potential engineer (for want of a better word).

On the other hand, it would take a very naïve person to sign up with a product development subsidiary of a multinational (say Proctor & Gamble or, ahem, Xerox) and *not* expect to see their effort tied to the market for the product.

And, yes, I brought out PARC because a *lot* of their tops guys left because Xerox was *not* commercializing their efforts. So they left to join or create businesses that would.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SleepyBob

The difference is that the phone never sold from the get-go.

There's a least one member of the MR moderating team (no, not me) who has one and likes it a lot. Clearly, therefore, it appeals to some people.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's a least one member of the MR moderating team (no, not me) who has one and likes it a lot. Clearly, therefore, it appeals to some people.

Oh, most people who bought it like it.
Problem is most who bought it bought it at the lower, liquidation price.
There was nothing wrong with the phone that a 30% price cut couldn't fix.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's a least one member of the MR moderating team (no, not me) who has one and likes it a lot. Clearly, therefore, it appeals to some people.

There are a number of MR members who bought one and liked it. Ask tubemonkey, he usually tracks these things.

Does it matter if the person who you know liked it is a moderator vs. a regular member? Otherwise, I can't imagine why you bothered mentioning the fact.

[HarryT]

The shortcomings of your imagination are no-one's concern but your own.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

There are a number of MR members who bought one and liked it. Ask tubemonkey, he usually tracks these things.

Does it matter if the person who you know liked it is a moderator vs. a regular member? Otherwise, I can't imagine why you bothered mentioning the fact.

It was mentioned because the person in question was a moderator who likes the Fire Phone. Why not mention that the person was another moderator? It's just an aside. What's the big deal? It's not as if he's pointing out that he's also a moderator to brag about it. If Harry wanted to brag, I know of several personal things he could mention that are much more impressive than the fact that he's a moderator on an online forum.