In its market study, Ofcom identified a number of features in the supply of cloud services that make it more difficult for customers to switch and use multiple cloud suppliers…reports Asian Lite News
UK media regulator Ofcom on Thursday referred the public cloud infrastructure services market to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for an independent investigation to further examine US tech giants Amazon and Microsoft’s dominance of the cloud market in the country.
In its market study, Ofcom identified a number of features in the supply of cloud services that make it more difficult for customers to switch and use multiple cloud suppliers.
Ofcom has estimated that the market for cloud services in the UK was worth up to 7.5 billion pounds in 2022. “We welcome Ofcom’s referral of public cloud infrastructure services to us for in-depth scrutiny. This is a 7.5 billion pounds market that underpins a whole host of online services — from social media to AI foundation models,” said Sarah Cardell, CEO of the CMA.
The features which Ofcom is most concerned about are charges that cloud customers must pay to move their data out of the cloud.
The media regulator is also concerned about discounts which may incentivise customers to use only one cloud provider and technical barriers to switching, which may prevent customers from being able to switch between different clouds or use more than one provider. The Ofcom study found that Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft had a combined market share of supply by revenue in the UK public cloud infrastructure services market of 70-80 per cent in 2022.
“The CMA’s independent inquiry group will now carry out an investigation to determine whether competition in this market is working well and if not, what action should be taken to address any issues it finds,” said Cardell.
The CMA has appointed independent panel members to an inquiry group, who will act as the decision makers on this investigation. The CMA will conclude its investigation by April 2025.
The complaint alleged that Amazon violates the law not because it is big, but because it engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging…reports Asian Lite News
Lina Khan-led Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 17 state Attorneys General in the US on Tuesday sued Amazon, alleging that the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anti-competitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power.
The FTC and its state partners said that Amazon’s actions allow it to stop rivals and sellers from lowering prices, degrade quality for shoppers, overcharge sellers, stifle innovation, and prevent rivals from fairly competing against Amazon.
“Our complaint lays out how Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies,” said FTC Chair Khan.
“The complaint sets forth detailed allegations noting how Amazon is now exploiting its monopoly power to enrich itself while raising prices and degrading service for the tens of millions of American families who shop on its platform and the hundreds of thousands of businesses that rely on Amazon to reach them,” she added.
The complaint alleged that Amazon violates the law not because it is big, but because it engages in a course of exclusionary conduct that prevents current competitors from growing and new competitors from emerging. By stifling competition on price, product selection, quality, and by preventing its current or future rivals from attracting a critical mass of shoppers and sellers, Amazon ensures that no current or future rival can threaten its dominance.
Amazon’s far-reaching schemes impact hundreds of billions of dollars in retail sales every year, touch hundreds of thousands of products sold by businesses big and small and affect over a hundred million shoppers, said the FTC.
“We’re bringing this case because Amazon’s illegal conduct has stifled competition across a huge swath of the online economy. Amazon is a monopolist that uses its power to hike prices on American shoppers and charge sky-high fees on hundreds of thousands of online sellers,” said John Newman, Deputy Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition.
The FTC and states alleged that Amazon’s anti-competitive conduct occurs in two markets — the online superstore market that serves shoppers and the market for online marketplace services purchased by sellers. The lawsuit makes Amazon the third tech giant after Google and Meta to be hit with sweeping US government allegations that the company spent years violating federal antitrust laws.
With this, sellers can use a single inventory source which is in Amazon’s fulfillment centres to fulfill all their orders….reports Asian Lite News
Amazon on Thursday launched multi-channel fulfilment (MCF) for sellers including direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, retailers and manufacturers in India.
With this, sellers can use a single inventory source which is in Amazon’s fulfillment centres to fulfill all their orders.
Amazon’s MCF offers a comprehensive solution at an introductory price as low as Rs 59 per order to level the playing field for all sellers.
Through MCF, sellers can leverage Amazon’s extensive coverage of 100 per cent of India’s serviceable pin codes (over 20,000), opening up new business opportunities, the e-commerce giant said in a statement.
“The challenges of digitisation, limited reach, and productivity constraints often hamper the expansion of medium and small-scale brands, along with other challenges like inventory tracking and high shipping costs,” said Vivek Somareddy, Vice President, Fulfilment Channels and Global Trade, Amazon India.
Multi-Channel Fulfilment addresses these challenges through comprehensive and best-in-class solution for all their fulfilment needs.
“It allows sellers to focus on core business activities like product development, marketing, and customer service,” Somareddy added.
MCF makes it easy for sellers to create orders for their off-Amazon shoppers, track them, and generate tax invoices, while ensuring swift shipping and faster delivery.
With MCF, sellers can automate their off-Amazon orders, thus removing complexities and simplifying the entire order fulfilment process.
Sellers will also benefit from Fulfilment by Amazon — a flexible, affordable, and scalable storage and fulfilment solution spanning across plethora of services, said Amazon.
“This innovative fulfillment solution ensures super-fast delivery, 24×7 fulfilment of customer orders, and removes the need for inventory pooling for separate sales channel,” said Somareddy.
India Post and Amazon also unveiled a commemorative postal stamp that celebrates the partnership between Amazon and India Post in reaching out to customers in 100 per cent serviceable pin codes…reports Asian Lite News
E-commerce giant Amazon on Thursday announced a slew of initiatives to boost India’s digital economy and exports, along with an MoU with India Post for an integrated cross-border logistics solution.
The move will expand the e-commerce exports opportunity to lakhs of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Additionally, Amazon is engaging with Indian Railways’ Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFC) to enable its sellers deliver faster to their customers across the country.
The company also announced to introduce a generative AI-based personal digital assistant for sellers and opened its logistics and supply chain capabilities to direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands across the country.
“We had recently announced an incremental investment of $15 billion in India across all our businesses by 2030 and will continue to be a partner in India’s growth in the 21st century”, said Amit Agarwal, SVP India and Emerging Markets, Amazon during the ‘Amazon Smbhav Summit’ here.
India Post and Amazon also unveiled a commemorative postal stamp that celebrates the partnership between Amazon and India Post in reaching out to customers in 100 per cent serviceable pin codes.
“I am delighted to know about Amazon’s commitment to digitising 10 million MSMEs, enabling 2 million jobs, and driving $20 billion in e-commerce exports from India by 2025,” said Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology.
“For lakhs of small businesses across India, digitisation can offer economic growth, broader customer reach, reduced marketing & distribution expenses, and access to foreign markets” Singh added.
The announcements followed Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his state visit to the US in June.
“We are focused on investing long-term in physical and digital infrastructure and building cutting edge technology solutions to serve customers and enable Indian businesses to scale and grow in India and globally, thus contributing to India’s rising digital economy,” said Manish Tiwary, Country Manager India Consumer Business, Amazon India.
Tailored to develop essential leadership skills, the immersive program offers on-the-job training, cross-functional exposure, one-to-one mentorship, and regular meetings with business leaders, required for a progressive career at Amazon….reports Asian Lite News
Amazon UAE today announced the launch of ‘Amazon Future Leaders Program – Injah’, a leadership development program, designed to accelerate career growth of Emirati talent at Amazon and prepare them for leadership roles.
With a strong emphasis on nurturing women leaders, the new program kickstarts on Emirati Women’s Day, and is open to all Emirati employees.
The two-year talent accelerator program will equip Emiratis across all Amazon businesses units from retail, operations, technology and payments with deep knowledge by imparting industry-specific management skills, cultural assimilation and mentorship, to help the participants build global careers at Amazon.
Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East & North Africa, said that “Amazon continues to invest in cultivating future leaders who share a common vision of building the most customer-centric company in the world. This transformative program in the UAE will empower Emirati talent to unlock innovation, solve complex business problems and assimilate into Amazon’s customer-obsessed culture to drive meaningful change. ‘Amazon Future Leaders Program – Injah’ has been created specifically for the UAE, in support of the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision to continue the country’s progress towards economic prosperity, social well-being and development of human capital.”
Tailored to develop essential leadership skills, the immersive program offers on-the-job training, cross-functional exposure, one-to-one mentorship, and regular meetings with business leaders, required for a progressive career at Amazon. Participants will apply the company’s management and leadership principles to conceive, design and launch innovative solutions for customers, placing them on an accelerated path towards leadership roles.
Bikram Walia, Director, Human Resources, Amazon MENA said, “We are excited to roll out ‘Amazon Future Leaders Program – Injah’ that aims to build a robust pipeline of Emirati leaders, including women leaders. The UAE has made phenomenal progress towards a gender-balanced workforce and this program has been created with the UAE’s gender balance goals in mind. We remain steadfast in our commitment to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we believe this program’s personalized approach will empower Emirati women to build enriching careers at Amazon.”
Reem Aldhaheri, Retail Program Manager, Amazon UAE, said, “I am excited to sign up for ‘Amazon Future Leaders Program – Injah’ because it will allow me to explore various aspects of our business, identify my strengths and hone my skills. It is a unique opportunity to meet with senior leaders and understand how Amazon’s leadership principles and customer-centric culture drive the company’s success. I’m personally invested in the idea of fast tracking my career and I would encourage other Emiratis, especially women, to pursue programs like this one that provide tangible opportunities for career growth.”
‘Amazon Future Leaders Program – Injah’ has been developed as part of Amazon’s multi-year talent strategy to upskill and train Emirati employees for leadership roles across the region. Since its launch in the UAE, Amazon has been investing in the country, supporting the UAE’s economic and social development goals. Committed to developing talent for the digital future, the new program will further equip Emirati talent for the global economy.
With this launch, the tech giant aims to enable its sellers to meet the consumer demands for high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables while shopping on Amazon Fresh…reports Asian Lite News
Amazon India on Wednesday introduced a shelf monitoring solution — a Machine Learning (ML) powered farm-to-fridge quality assurance system for fresh produce.
With this launch, the tech giant aims to enable its sellers to meet the consumer demands for high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables while shopping on Amazon Fresh.
“The shelf monitoring solution will bolster the capabilities of Amazon Fresh sellers to fulfil the commitment of delivering the finest grocery services in India. With seamless automation, the solutions ensure top-notch quality of fresh produce, enhancing customer satisfaction,” Rajeev Rastogi, Vice President, Machine Learning, Amazon, said in a statement.
Store shelf monitoring solution is powered by state of art computer vision models and Wi-Fi-enabled IoT cameras to detect pre-determined defects in fruits and vegetables using the image of the crate, as an input.
The solution detects the count of visible items of produce and identifies specific visual defects such as cuts, cracks, and pressure damage among others, the company said.
Amazon has developed two types of models — one for detecting each item in the crate and counting the total number of items, and a second to identify the defect classes present in each item.
Both these models are trained using annotated defects in millions of produced images. “Our focus has always been customer backwards and we are providing our Amazon Fresh customers consistent and superior quality of fresh produce across India,” said Harsh Goyal, Director and Head of Everyday Essentials, Amazon India.
Moreover, the tech giant said that the shelf monitoring solution currently supports manual monitoring through a mobile app and automated monitoring using cameras installed on top of produce shelves.
In manual monitoring, operators use the Johari app to submit a produce crate image taken freely from their smartphone. The shelf monitoring solution assesses the image for quality and if acceptable analyses the image to detect defects and uses grading logic to highlight the items that don’t meet the quality criteria and need to be culled.
Amazon was yet to make an official statement on the payout news….reports Asian Lite News
As companies like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta begin to pay creators on their platforms, Amazon is now offering influences $25 per video for its TikTok-style “Inspire” shopping feed.
However, some creators are mocking the low Amazon payouts.
The e-commerce giant is offering $12,500 for a maximum of 500 videos, or $25 per qualifying video, according to an email the company shared with select influencers.
A screenshot of the email shared online read that Amazon is looking for videos that “could be a product review of two or more products, a product comparison video, a ranking video listing the best products in a certain category, or even gift inspiration featuring multiple products”.
Amazon was yet to make an official statement on the payout news.
Some creators went to social media platforms to mock the low payment.
“25$ per job lol Amazon can go find someone else to play that game,” one creator posted on X. “500 videos! Damn that’s a full time Job, haha,” another said.
Kyndhal, an Amazon influencer and mentor, posted: “Amazon is offering creators up to $12,500 to upload shoppable videos!! If you didn’t catch the last incentive, now is your time!”
A follower reacted: “SOOOOO, up to $25/video, LOL no thanks”.
Amazon launched the “Inspire” feed in December last year. It is an in-app shopping feed that offers personalised suggestions, allowing users to shop for items on the e-commerce platform.
The Amazon feed essentially looks like the feed offered by TikTok and Instagram Reels wherein users get short videos based on their interests.
Limp will remain in his role for the next few months, and the company will announce his successor in the coming weeks…reports Asian Lite News
Dave Limp, head of Amazon devices and services who has been with the company for nearly 14 years has confirmed he is stepping down, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced on Tuesday.
Jassy said that after almost 14 years with Amazon and countless contributions to the company, Limp has decided to retire from the company.
“Under Limp’s leadership, Amazon has become one of the world’s leading innovators in building devices and underlying services that customers love. From Kindle readers to Fire TV to Alexa and Echo, over the past decade and a half we’ve been able to invent and keep improving experiences that help make our customers’ lives better every day,” said the Amazon chief.
Limp will remain in his role for the next few months, and the company will announce his successor in the coming weeks.
His departure comes Amod reports that Amazon’s costly bet on smart home devices has not paid off well.
Amazon has also slashed nearly 27,000 roles as cost cutting measures amid the economic downturn.
Limp said in a blog post that he has made the tough decision after almost 14 years to leave Amazon in a few months.
“The obvious question is why? It might be easier to explain why not. It’s not because of our team, this team is SO good and some of you I have worked with for decades. You’re all masters of your craft,” Limp said.
“It’s not because I am done with Amazon. It’s time. I have been doing a version of this job (building and shipping consumer electronics) on and off for 30+ years. I love it, but I also want look into the future through a different lens,” Limp added.
Limp is not sure what that future is right now, “with the notable exception that it won’t be in the consumer electronics space”.
Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President-Designate, praised President Lula for championing bold policies that prioritise Indigenous Peoples and serve as a blueprint for other regions…reports Asian Lite News
A high level delegation from the UAE meets top leaders from the Amazon region during the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) at South Brazilian city of Balem.
Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President-Designate, gave remarks at the Amazon Summit and Collaboration for Sustainable Development, urging leaders to build on President Lula da Silva’s commitment and inspire transformational progress on nature at COP28.
Gathering in the Brazilian city of Belém, Dr. Al Jaber met with leaders from the region and around the world to discuss ways to advance sustainable development and forest protections. All member states of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) attended the summit.
Among the issues being discussed at ACTO’s first such meeting in 14 years were a possible deal to halt deforestation by 2030 and joint efforts to fight rampant illegal mining and organised crime groups that are tightening their grip on the rainforest region. The Brazilian President unveiled a blueprint for the future of the Amazon, a 6.7m sq km region that is home to nearly 50 million people spread across eight countries and one territory.
During his visit to Brazil, Dr. Al Jaber held meetings with world leaders to discuss the COP28 energy transition agenda, including with Luis Arce, President of Bolivia; Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia; Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Mark Phillips, Prime Minister of Guyana.
Dr. Al Jaber also held bilateral meetings with Marina Silva, Minister of Environment of Brazil; Mauro Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil; Jean Paul Prates, CEO of Petrobras; and Antonio Queiroz, Vice President of Innovation, Technology and Sustainable Development at Braskem, among others.
Dr. Al Jaber said, “You are the guardians of a vital and delicate ecosystem that sustains life, lives and livelihoods, not only for the peoples of the Amazon region, but for the planet we all share.”
In his speech, Dr. Al Jaber praised President Lula for championing bold policies that prioritise Indigenous Peoples and serve as a blueprint for other regions. He also marked the opportunity to engage with leaders in Brazil, the host of COP30, to build a substantive bridge between COP28 and COP30 that ensures inclusive, resilient and lasting climate progress.
“We will build on the experience and the lessons that the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation and Indigenous Peoples can teach us in advancing the dual goal of protecting and restoring nature, while advancing sustainable development.”
The day prior, Dr. Al Jaber met with the Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, Sonia Guajajara, and representatives of Indigenous leaders from the Amazon.
Dr. Al Jaber added, “Critically, we will put the rights of Indigenous peoples front and centre of our approach to nature. While representing five per cent of the global population, indigenous communities protect over 80 per cent of our biodiversity.”
He also held a bilateral meeting with President Lula, underscoring the important role that G20 nations play in driving climate action.
“Let me commend the leadership of President Lula in reducing deforestation in Brazil by 34 percent in just the last six months and targeting zero illegal deforestation by 2030. This is the kind of leadership we want to build on to inspire transformational progress at COP28 on nature, alongside all climate pillars. We will work to enhance South-South cooperation to strengthen the alliance between the leaders of tropical forest regions from the Amazon to Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo and look to expand it further,” he said.
Dr. Al Jaber underscored that delivering transformational progress will require a shift in climate finance. “We need to expand available, accessible and affordable finance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable and ensure that adequate finance meets the needs of nature.”
He confirmed plans to keep the pressure on donor countries to fulfill the overdue pledge of US$100 billion and ensure a designated portion of the funds is directed to nature and forest protection. Significant reform of international finance institutions and multilateral development banks was also cited as critical to unlocking more concessional finance, lowering risk and bringing private finance to the table.
“In addition, we are calling on all parties to match the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework they signed up to last year that protects 30 percent of nature by 2030, with budgeted strategies,” Dr. Al Jaber said, adding that “This includes directing finance to restore degraded agricultural land, support sustainable farming, protect coastal areas, marine life, marshlands, rivers and freshwater lakes.”
Dr. Al Jaber also acknowledged that sustainable agricultural development must aim to provide food security while safeguarding nature, an area in which Brazil has excelled. “Ensuring the health of our natural environment is a critical element for the necessary transformation of the world’s food and agricultural systems. Brazil, as one of the largest producers and suppliers of food to the world, is already taking progressive steps on this journey that we will seek to build on.”
As part of the COP28 Presidency delegation to Brazil, Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, emphasised the inextricable link between addressing climate change and nature loss.
“We have just over six years to simultaneously reverse biodiversity loss, halve emissions, enhance adaptation, and advance equity. This transformation needs to be inclusive, nature positive and with justice at its heart,” said Ms. Al Mubarak. “It is my strong conviction that investing in nature is the most cost-effective mitigation and adaptation solution for climate change.”
She also stressed the critical inclusion and support for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) in the development of collective climate and nature solutions, adding: “We must all recognise the fundamental role of IPLCs in protecting the world’s most biodiverse and ecologically important areas. Over 75 percent of forests are protected by indigenous peoples and local communities, yet only 17 percent of funds allocated in the last ten years included an Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities organisation. Indigenous Peoples need access to resources to maintain their self-determined climate actions.”
iRobot lays off 10% workforce amid $1.7 bn Amazon acquisition(twitter)
The CMA also found that there are, in any case, several alternative robot vacuum cleaners with similar capabilities to iRobot that could form part of rival “smart home” offerings…reports Asian Lite News
The UK’s antitrust regulator has cleared Amazon’s proposed $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot, which designs and builds consumer robots, including robot vacuum cleaners sold under the ‘Roomba’ brand.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that iRobot’s market position in the supply of robot vacuum cleaners in the UK is modest and that it already faces several significant rivals.
“On this basis, the CMA considered that the loss of potential competition from Amazon wouldn’t have a substantial impact on market outcomes,” it said in a statement.
The acquisition of iRobot would not disadvantage Amazon’s rival ‘smart home’ platforms.
“This is primarily because robot vacuum cleaners (and the data that they gather) are generally not considered to be an important input to the emerging “smart home” market in the UK,” said the CMA.
The CMA also found that there are, in any case, several alternative robot vacuum cleaners with similar capabilities to iRobot that could form part of rival “smart home” offerings.
“More people are choosing to use ‘smart’ tech in their homes – whether that’s listening to the radio through a smart speaker, answering the door using a video doorbell, or keeping floors clean with robot vacuum cleaners,” said Colin Raftery, Senior Director of Mergers at the CMA.
“Here, after a thorough investigation, we’re satisfied that the deal would have no impact on competition in the UK,” the CMA added.
