Once a modest online seller of books, Amazon is now one of the largest companies in the world, and its former CEO, Jeff Bezos, is the world’s most wealthy person. We track developments, both of Bezos and Amazon, its growth as a video producer, the popular Prime service, as well as its own hardware, which includes the Amazon Kindle e-reader, Amazon Kindle Fire tablets, and Amazon Fire TV streaming boxes.
UPS revealed the job cuts in its earnings report released today, which it says are linked to “lower volumes from our largest customer,” Amazon. The company announced earlier this year that it will decrease its Amazon deliveries by more than 50 percent by the second half of 2026.
The layoffs will affect around 4 percent of the company’s 490,000 employees. UPS also plans to close 73 of its buildings by the end of June.
Independent Bookstore Day is on Saturday, but Amazon is having a book sale, too, reports Fast Company.
An Amazon spokesperson tells the publication that “The overlap was unintentional. The dates for our sale were set this year to accommodate additional participating countries.”
Zulay Kitchen, which makes and sells kitchen gadgets, told CNBC that the company is “temporarily raising” the price of some of its products as it works to move production to India, Mexico, and other locations not subject to Trump’s 145 percent tariff on China.
Another seller, Pure Daily Care, plans to “stagger price increases” while trying to stretch existing inventory in case the US and China reach an agreement, CNBC reports.
Amazon’s Project Kuiper is required to send 1,600 internet satellites into space by next summer under its FCC license, but sources tell Bloomberg that Project Kuiper is falling behind. The company has reportedly produced only “a few dozen” satellites so far, which means Amazon may need to ask for an extension from the FCC.
Project Kuiper’s first launch is now scheduled for April 28th after its initial attempt was scrubbed.
On April 10th, a Microsoft executive stated that the company was “slowing or pausing some early-stage datacenter infrastructure projects.” Today, CNBC reports a note from Wells Fargo analysts stating that they have heard a similar story about Amazon.
The article cites industry sources saying AWS has paused some leasing discussions, holding off on new projects without canceling already signed deals.
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That’s one tidbit from Andy Jassy’s interview with CNBC today, where he was also asked about things like AI and Amazon’s rumored bid for TikTok. Jassy published a lengthy annual letter to shareholders today, too.
Below is a portion of CNBC’s interview.
The UK is prepared to cut a tax that targets Silicon Valley, and other countries may follow suit.
A ULA Atlas V rocket carrying the first of 80 or so batches of satellites for Amazon’s Starlink competitor was scheduled for a launch attempt tonight, with the window opening between 7PM and 9PM ET. Bad weather, however, has forced a delay. Launch partner United Launch Alliance will provide a new window when approved.
The Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company said it was bringing its retrofitted test vehicles to Los Angeles, equipped with safety drivers, as it gets closer to launching a public service. Zoox now operates test vehicles in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, Las Vegas, Seattle, Austin, and Miami. And it plans on launching publicly in Las Vegas and San Francisco later this year. LA is already has one robotaxi service operated by Alphabet’s Waymo — though its unclear when Zoox will make its vehicles available to the public there.
On The Vergecast: the Switch 2, tariff chaos, Microsoft’s best gadgets, and the TikTok ban.
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0Amazon has agreed to license Nokia technologies for its video streaming services and devices, resolving a lawsuit initiated back in 2023 by the former mobile phone giant. Apple, Oppo, Reddit, HTC, RIM, Withings, Viewsonic... you name it, have all gone through this in one way or another.
[globenewswire.com]
Former Microsoft and now Amazon exec Panos Panay announced that Amazon has added the photo library feature everyone was asking for: shopping links. The image storage service’s search uses image recognition to analyze your photos and surface products it thinks you’re searching for, then pop up a lens icon over them so you can buy them on Amazon.
It’s unclear from the help page whether turning off the Tag Photos feature will shut this down if you’d like to opt out -- we’ve contacted Amazon for more info.
Amazon has introduced a new Kindle feature letting you tap the back and sides of the e-reader to turn pages and scroll lists.
It was initially thought to be limited to only the Colorsoft and 12th-generation Paperwhite, but Amazon spokesperson Connor Rice has confirmed to The Verge that you’ll specifically need the pricier $199.99 Paperwhite Signature Edition or the Colorsoft to get the feature. The $159.99 basic 12th-generation Paperwhite doesn’t have it.
The Alexa Fund, which has invested in companies like Ring and Ecobee, is broadening its scope to include more AI-powered technology. In addition to investing in the AI startup NinjaTech, the company has also announced investments in Hedra, an AI video generation platform; Ario, an AI assistant for parents; and HeyBoss, an AI website design tool.
[developer.amazon.com]
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