Amazon’s appointment of an ex-Microsoft executive who worked on the Windows phone has sparked rumours the e-commerce company may be developing a smartphone.
Charlie Kindel worked for Microsoft for 20 years, leading the company’s Windows Media Centre and Windows Phone application and developer platforms.
His updated LinkedIn profile states he is working at Amazon on “something wonderful”.
“I’m building a new team going after a totally new area for Amazon,” the profile reads. “I’m hiring cloud and mobile developers and testers, program managers, and product managers.”
Rumours Amazon is quietly developing a smartphone have been circulating for some time, and have not been denied by the company.
Bloomberg last year reported Amazon was working with Chinese manufacturer Foxconn on a smartphone device to rival Apple’s iPhone and Android handsets, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
Digitimes also recently reported Amazon is developing a smartphone with a 4.7 inch display, claiming mass production of the device may happen as early as the second quarter of this year, despite manufacturing delays.
Interviewed by Charlie Rose last November, Jeff Bezos, chief executive officer (CEO) and founder of Amazon, was asked directly whether a smartphone was being developed. Bezos told people to “stay tuned”.
On further pushing, Bezos insisted: “You’ll just have to wait and see”.
