The estimated reading time for this post is 9 minutes
Last week’s launch of two new devices from Amazon was beyond interesting. In Amazon’s 20 year history the company has only sold two of its own products, the Kindle ereader and the Kindle Fire tablet, so to have the launch of two Amazon gadgets in one week may be a strong signal from Amazon about what its future holds.
As a polygadgetist, I started speculating about the possibility of upcoming products from Amazon. I began to think that other recent Amazon announcements may be puzzle pieces that could be assembled to form a picture of the Future of Amazon.
The Amazon Puzzle Pieces
In the past six months Amazon has been busy making announcements that fundamentally change its business and point to where ecommerce may be going. If each of these announcements is a clue to Amazon’s future we can begin to piece together the picture of what is in store for The Everything Store.
Drone Delivery
In October Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, announced that by 2015 the company would begin to deliver packages using unmanned drone aircraft. (See, Amazon Prime Air Drone Delivery: Cool, Convenient or Creepy?) Bringing a new dimension to the term “Instant Gratification” the drones will deliver products to Amazon customers within 30 minutes of an order being placed.
Increased Price of Amazon Prime (Without Any Added Benefits)
In March, for the first time in history, Amazon announced that it was raising the annual price of an Amazon Prime subscription to $99 from $79. Since Prime was first launched in 2005 the company had added benefits to the service, including Amazon Prime Instant Video and Kindle Owners Lending Library, without increasing the price. Last month Amazon did the opposite, raised the price without announcing additional benefits.
See, Is Amazon Prime Worth $99 for You? Here’s How to Decide!
Amazon Dash
One of the new products announced last week by Amazon, Dash, makes ordering products from Amazon Fresh extremely easier for customers. This device is provided free to Fresh subscribers who pay $299/year for delivery of 500,000 different products within hours.
Check out Amazon Fire TV and Dash – Your Voice Just Became Much More Powerful
The Dash is long and thin with a loop at the end so you can put it on a hook. With Dash you can use your voice or the bar code scanner to add items to your shopping cart, but you cannot place your order using it.
Amazon Fire TV
Amazon Fire TV also launched last week, uses voice and apps to bring videos, music and photos to your TV.
Mayday Button
The Kindle Fire HDX launched at the end of last year introduced the Mayday button, an instant live operator available 24/7 to assist customers using the tablet.
For more information about the Kindle Mayday button, check out Kindle Fire HDX with the Mayday Button – A Radically Different Tablet.
Wearables are Big
The next wave of tech is wearable tech, such as smartwatches that bring data to your wrist.
The Everything Store is Every Wear
Amazon’s slogans throughout the years have evolved from “The World’s Largest Bookstore” to “The Everything Store.” With the launch of the Dash, Amazon is expanding to being available almost anywhere. As long as you have a Wi-Fi connection, you can fill up your Amazon cart using Dash.
But Amazon must be thinking beyond the Dash. While the Dash currently can only be used by members of Amazon Fresh, the technology will likely be expanded to Amazon Prime members so they can easily fill their carts. Would Prime members carry the Dash around and possible lose it? What if they could wear it instead?
Imaging the Dash curved to become a watch strap. Add a screen and you have the potential for the Fire Watch, a new device from Amazon that connects directly to the online retailer so you can fill your cart and place the order from your wrist.
The Fire Watch could come complete with a camera for scanning bar codes, similar to the camera on the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, or for taking a picture to identify the product, like the smartphone app Amazon Flow.
Voice recognition could be added with a microphone so you could merely speak the name of the product you want, just as you can with the Dash.
The screen of the Fire Watch would be small so viewing hundreds of items would be cumbersome. Instead, Amazon could leverage its enormous database of customer reviews and its refined search functions so you could search for items that are the highest rated, within a certain price range, available for Prime delivery, etc.
Amazon could utilize its search tools so you could speak your order into the Fire Watch:
“I want the best rated coffee maker under $150 available through Prime.“
The Fire Watch could have One-Click ordering enabled so you could tap the screen and place your order instantly.
Location Tracking
Amazon could add a location feature so the watch would always know where you are. It could serve as a GPS unit as well as tracking to show you items of interest in your area. For example, you could ask the watch:
“Show me Amazon Local Deals for restaurants near me.“
Drones
Add drone delivery to the mix — Imagine if a drone could find you and deliver your package wherever you were. No need to type in an address or wait at home for a delivery, a drone could hone in on your location then deliver your package in under a half hour of you placing your order.
You could get delivery to wherever you were, whenever you wanted it. Example: You’re driving to the beach and you’ve forgotten sunscreen. (Hey, if you have kids you know this could easily happen.) You say to the Fire Watch:
“Bring me the highest rated sunscreen, SPF 50 or above.“
You arrive at the ocean, spread out your towel, unfold your beach chair and a drone deposits the sunscreen into your hand before you have a chance to get a sunburn. Of course, if you get stuck in traffic, you better be driving a convertible or a car with a sunroof…
Apps
The Fire Watch could have its own app store with games, utilities, Kindle, Audible and other apps. You could see the weather, stock prices, email and other information on your watch screen. It might even tell time! You could listen to Audible audiobooks using voice commands on your watch.
The Fire Watch app store would be vital to the success of the Fire Watch. Few customers would want a wearable gadget that only served as a shopping device for Amazon products.
Mayday Button
Amazon could utilize its Mayday operators who would appear on the Fire Watch screen to help guide users in accessing the various features of the watch.
Connecting to the Internet
The Fire Watch would be able to connect to the Internet directly, with Wi-Fi and with its own 4G cellular data plan. Similar to the Kindle ereader, the Fire Watch would offer free worldwide, unlimited data that you could use to order products. If you wanted to use Internet on the watch for other purposes, you could use Wi-Fi or pay for additional data.
Connecting to Your Phone
The watch could connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth to alert you to incoming calls and text messages.
Amazon Could Avoid Apple’s 30% Commission
Apple charges 30% commission on goods and services sold through apps on its devices. Go ahead, try to buy a Kindle book on the Kindle app on your iPhone. You can’t. Want to order an audiobook using the Audible app on your iPad? Tough luck. You have to open the Safari browser to order these items from Amazon so it can avoid paying Apple 30% of the purchase price.
By connecting directly to the Internet, the Fire Watch would make shopping at Amazon easier for the customer while enabling Amazon to avoid Apple’s 30% commission.
The Price
The price of the Fire Watch could be free. Like the Dash, the Fire Watch could be given without charge to customers who joined Amazon Prime, or perhaps a Prime Plus program. 4G cellular data connecting the customer to Amazon would also be free. Perhaps customers who spent over a certain amount could earn additional free data for other purposes.
If Amazon wanted to earn some revenue from Fire Watches, it could offer the devices free with ads and then charge $30 for those who wanted a no-ad experience. Kindle ereaders come with a $30 discount for customers who are willing to have advertisements appear on their home screens (called “special offers” by Amazon).
Perhaps wanting the watch for free is a bit optimistic. After all, the Kindle ereader still isn’t free even though it’s used almost exclusively to purchase and consume content from Amazon.
Alternatively, Amazon could offer a tiered pricing plan based upon a Prime membership, with/without ads, and annual customer spending using the watch.
Would You Want a Fire Watch?
Does the idea of a free smartwatch appeal to you? Would you enjoy the convenience of shopping with Amazon from your wrist? Vote in The Wonder of Tech poll and let us know your thoughts:
While my ideas may seem far-fetched, remember that Amazon started as an online bookseller 20 years ago. I’m reading The Everything Store that chronicles the history of Amazon and am reminded of how far the company has come during that time. Each expansion of Amazon’s product lines, features and services were met with surprise and skepticism.
As we look to the future of ecommerce we can only guess what our shopping experience will be like. But based on recent announcements from Amazon, online shopping is on the verge of significant changes. The company has come a very long way from being an online bookseller twenty years ago. We can only imagine where this company will be in five years.
Your Thoughts
What features would you like to see in a Fire Watch? Do you like the idea of combining drone delivery with a Fire Watch? Do you see a different future for Amazon? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments section below!
* Arrow Puzzle by Horia Varlan (edited)
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Game of Thrones
If you’re a Game of Thrones fan and have an Xbox, you’re in luck! HBO is making the first episode of Game of Thrones available on the Xbox free from April 8-14, no HBO subscription needed.
Here’s the press release from HBO:
HBO is offering all Xbox® users the opportunity to watch the first episode of season 4 of the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning Game of Thrones on Xbox 360® and Xbox One® from April 8th through the 14th. The episode will remain open to both HBO and non-HBO subscribers throughout the week, giving all Xbox users a chance to watch the debut episode. Game of Thrones season 4 airs on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO. All episodes from previous seasons of Game of Thrones are currently available on HBO GO.
The 4th season premiere episode is also available on multiple U.S. distributor portals and Free on Demand platforms during the sampling period.
Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin, Games of Thrones is an epic series whose storylines of treachery and nobility, family and honor, ambition and love, and death and survival, has captured the imagination of fans globally and made it one of the most popular shows on television.
Good Carolyn, Amazon is first and one of best and old E commerce site,, I think its first site which provide many online shopping services, Now there are many but its better, I like your Amazon’s future review its also informative thanks
Hi Rea, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Thanks, you’re right, Amazon is the first site many shoppers head to online and the company wants to continue to grow. Reducing any obstacles to purchasing is a continuing goal of the company. Introducing a wearable such as the Fire Watch could make purchasing from Amazon more convenient.
I may be completely off-base with my speculation here, but it’s still interesting to try to put the puzzle pieces together to try to figure out the future of Amazon.
That’s just crazy talk; whadda think this is, the Jetson’s or something?
It will be interesting to see how it evolves, but I’ll take a wait and see on this one. We have two big fulfillment centers here so I suppose it will look like an airport, huh?
Hi Bill, Yes, when (not if, but when) Amazon begins to deliver packages using drones, a location tracking wearable device from them would make a whole lot of sense. You’re right, it does seem like something out of the Jetsons or Back to the Future but so did mobile phones a while ago. And self-driving cars. And satellite radios. And ereaders. Etc.
In a very short time tech will probably go far beyond our imaginations.
Why does it have to be a watch? Look what happened to Fitbit, people are allergic. We need a new form factor for wearables. I like the concept, just not the old-style execution.
Hi JR, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! Excellent point. Wearables don’t have to be in the form of a watch. Do you have any ideas about which form would work well for an Amazon wearable?
Google has a different take with Glass, but I can’t see the two working together 😉 That’s more expensive at least for now. I just want something different, I stopped wearing a watch when I got a cell phone. Seems like it’s going backwards instead of forwards. That and I’m allergic to nickel.
Interesting idea, JR. Amazon’s wearable could be in the form of glasses, like Google Glass. Imagine looking at something you want to buy, then scanning, speaking or pressing a button to search for an item and buy it on Amazon.
As you stopped wearing a watch when you got a smartphone, I stopped wearing glasses when I got contacts. Wearing glasses seems like going backwards to me.
Perhaps Amazon will introduce an entirely new category of wearables, nickel-free, of course!
Hi Carolyn,
I love tech. but, the thought of a drone being able to find you to deliver a package is a bit scary. Where is your privacy?
If the wrong people got a hold of something like the drone, you wouldn’t have any privacy.
I don’t know about this. I think I would be apprehensive about owning such a device. It would be convenient, though. 🙂
Great article with some thought provoking scenarios.
Thanks, Carolyn
Geri
Hi Geri, Excellent point. Those who are concerned about privacy may shudder at the thought of a drone tracking them down using a location device. I imagine that, like smartphones, Amazon’s wearable tech will allow the user to turn off the location tracking so people concerned with privacy could control what information they shared.
Much of the technology I speculate about in this article is already available in smartphones. But a wearable may be more accurate for location tracking since people may leave their cell phones behind in a purse, backpack or airport parking lot. Another advantage of an Amazon wearable (for Amazon) is avoiding the 30% commission from Apple for iPhone users.
Some people are uncomfortable with location-based tracking on their smartphones and turn off that feature. Others find it to be extremely useful. You’re right, drones may be very creepy to some people while other people would feel better about an unmanned drone than having a delivery person come to their door.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights with us, Geri!
Amazon is the one company that I think can give Apple a serious run for its money. They have enough resources and strength to influence Apple.
Hi Josh, Good point, it’s interesting how large tech companies can be “frenemies.” Apple, Google, Amazon, Yahoo and Facebook all compete in certain markets but also benefit from the presence of the other companies. As these companies expand into new areas, they tend to step on the toes of other companies. Facebook and Google weren’t true competitors until Google Plus was launched. Then Facebook introduced Open Graph search.
Amazon sells Apple products but runs an Android Appstore and was sued by Apple over the name “Appstore” (Amazon won). Amazon and Apple compete for apps, music, ebooks, movies, TV shows and tablets. But a short time ago Amazon was a bookstore and Apple made computers. Who knew they would eventually become competitors? Perhaps Steve Jobs and Jeff Bezos?
I am a great fan of amazon and I think those suggestions you offer would be great and the product display you have up have caught my eyes
Hi Gary, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! I’m glad you enjoyed my speculations about the possible future of Amazon. Only Amazon knows for sure what the future holds, but it’s fun to try to put the puzzle pieces together.
I think you’re more of the visionary when it comes to this stuff than I am Carolyn. I think some of the new things they’re coming out with are pretty cool and I have a feeling they’ll continue to move in the direction of what’s evolving technology wise.
As I had mentioned in the other post, I’d love the Amazon Dash so hopefully it will eventually make it to our area. Although I do wear a watch, not when I’m home alone working so that one wouldn’t appeal to me either. I probably know a lot of people though that would love that one.
Thanks for the updates and this will be interesting to see where they go next and how all of this pans out for them. I have a feeling it will be successful though.
~Adrienne
Hello,
Well I love amazon and I use it for all my shopping needs which is really wonderful thing.
Thanks
Carolyn,
That’s cool. Few weeks back hen I hear Drone was quite interesting and may add more values to Amazon existing service. Amazon Dash & Fire TV sounds very attractive.
Dash appears a combination of USB ad voice activation. Let’s wait and watch as,how practically it could helps customers to make their life more easier. 🙂
Thanks for the informative post Carolyn.
hi Carolyn
Interesting to see where Amazon is heading. They are really a leader in their field.
With their smart warehouses, they are really leading the way already.
But having drones buzzing around my head all day? not my ideal future. But maybe it is on the way.
You also have to remember that many of these things are US-centric. Amazon only just opened a store in Australia (I heard) and many of the options you guys have are not available overseas (like Prime I think). And being in Switzerland, we have access to Amazon in Germany, but only books and a few other non-import restricted things (the swiss love to protect their own businesses – but then again, which country does not).
So although many of these things are slowly happening in the US, they are years away from us. Even Twitter is not used here by many. Facebook, perhaps, and LinkedIn, But the rest?
Fun to dream though
ashley
Hi Ashley, Yes, when I lived in the UK, I was very frustrated when the US got tech that the rest of the world didn’t have access to, so I do understand that some tech I write about is US-centric. But even when I didn’t have access to US-only tech, I still enjoyed reading about it, perhaps to see what was in the future.
Other tech is available in Europe or other parts of the world first, but I don’t have much access to that tech. Amazon UK does exist but when I was there the selection was very limited. I wonder if Amazon will be coming to Switzerland some day. I imagine EU rules make Amazon’s presence in France, Germany and the UK easier for the company.
Not everyone in the US is happy about Amazon’s drone delivery program. Some people are against it but they may not have a choice if the program truly is implemented next year as Jeff Bezos said last year. If that does happen you may be quite pleased that Amazon isn’t in Switzerland yet!