Amazon has hired former Microsoft’s Windows Phone general manager Charlie Kindel for an undisclosed project, raising speculation that the online retailer is planning an entry into the smartphone market.
Earlier he worked for Microsoft as a general manager, until 2011, and has also worked for Windows Home Server, Windows Media Center as well as a technical advisor to the head of the firm’s Server & Tools Business.
Kindel was cited by Geekwire as saying that he is building a new team going after a totally new area for Amazon. "I’m hiring cloud and mobile developers and testers, program managers, and product managers," Kindel said.
"As a double bonus, the idea that I can work in such a principled and customer focused company is really exciting to me."
Following his exit from Microsoft, Kindel established a start-up known as BizLogr and developed the MileLogr automated tool that tracks business air miles.
"Amazon presented an opportunity to build something new that has ginormous potential," Kindel said. "I simply couldn’t pass the opportunity up."
Amazon is also reportedly planning to launch a subscription based streaming music service similar to Spotify and is in talks with music companies to start the service.
