It’s transfer window season between Microsoft and Amazon! Panos Panay, who has overseen the Windows division for almost 20 years, has announced his departure… He could be found at the head of the hardware activity of the creator of Alexa.
Big week ahead for Amazon and Microsoft. The first will lift the veil on its new connected products Echo and Alexa this Wednesday, while the second will lift the veil on the new Surface range the next day. The link between these two events could well be Panos Panay.
The main promoter of Surface leaves the ship
As Microsoft’s product director, the executive oversaw the development of Windows for almost 20 years (he joined Redmond in 2004). It is to Panos Panay that we owe the launch of Surface computers which certainly have a symbolic market share, but which allows Microsoft to showcase its hardware innovations – as evidenced by the astonishing 2 in 1 Laptop Studio and its screen sliding, or the Studio 2+ all-in-one touchscreen computer.
Panos Panay will not be visible during Microsoft’s presentation this Thursday, a spokesperson confirmed to The Verge, despite being the host of all of the company’s Surface events for ages. This absence is probably explained by the fact that he should become the new hardware boss at Amazon!
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Bloomberg reports that Panos Panay must take the place of Dave Limp, who held the reins of this activity for many years and who announced his retirement last month. The former Microsoft employee will find himself at the head of the Echo ranges, the Alexa assistant, Fire TV sticks and televisions, Fire tablets, etc. Panos Panay will notably have to successfully transition Alexa to generative artificial intelligence.
Read ChatGPT has been there: Amazon is preparing a revolution for Alexa
Both companies have scaled back their material ambitions in recent months, with layoffs as a result. The two events this week will be a good indicator of the forces present…
Source :
Bloomberg