<description>&lt;p&gt;Amazon is working on a new smartphone, code-named "Transformer," more than a decade after the Fire Phone debacle, &lt;a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/amazon-plans-smartphone-comeback-more-than-decade-after-fire-phone-flop-2026-03-20/"&gt;according to Reuters&lt;/a&gt;. We dig into the connection to &lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2024/former-microsoft-xbox-leader-j-allard-joins-amazon-in-latest-surprise-career-twist/"&gt;a past GeekWire scoop&lt;/a&gt;: former Microsoft Xbox leader J Allard joined Amazon's devices team in 2024, and he's now leading a group called &lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2025/amazon-has-a-secretive-new-hardware-group-led-by-former-xbox-leader-j-allard/"&gt;ZeroOne&lt;/a&gt; with a mandate to create "breakthrough" gadgets. Is this an AI-native device? A companion to your iPhone? J Allard's shot at redemption? Maybe all of the above.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;There's more great Fire Phone background in this&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.theverge.com/podcast/816739/amazon-fire-phone-version-history"&gt;Vergecast "Version History" podcast.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Then: Microsoft &lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/microsoft-revamps-copilot-structure-elevating-former-snap-exec-as-suleyman-shifts-to-ai-models/"&gt;shakes up its Copilot team&lt;/a&gt;, shifting Mustafa Suleyman to a narrower role and unifying consumer and enterprise AI under a new leader. Todd has strong feelings about Microsoft's history of cutesy consumer tech, from Clippy to Mico.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Plus: Todd's adventure using Claude CoWork to browse LinkedIn (and the stern warning he got in response), King County Metro's slick &lt;a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/seattle-transits-new-tap-to-pay-feature-goes-live-next-week-well-ahead-of-world-cup/"&gt;new tap-to-pay feature&lt;/a&gt; catches the transit system up with the modern world, the opening of cross-lake light rail, and an Amazon Treasure truck trivia question.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Audio editing by Curt Milton.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;See &lt;a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener"&gt;omnystudio.com/listener&lt;/a&gt; for privacy information.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

GeekWire

GeekWire

Microsoft’s Copilot shakeup, Amazon’s new phone ambitions, and pushing Claude to the limits of LinkedIn

MAR 21, 202645 MIN
GeekWire

Microsoft’s Copilot shakeup, Amazon’s new phone ambitions, and pushing Claude to the limits of LinkedIn

MAR 21, 202645 MIN

Description

Amazon is working on a new smartphone, code-named "Transformer," more than a decade after the Fire Phone debacle, according to Reuters. We dig into the connection to a past GeekWire scoop: former Microsoft Xbox leader J Allard joined Amazon's devices team in 2024, and he's now leading a group called ZeroOne with a mandate to create "breakthrough" gadgets. Is this an AI-native device? A companion to your iPhone? J Allard's shot at redemption? Maybe all of the above. There's more great Fire Phone background in this Vergecast "Version History" podcast. Then: Microsoft shakes up its Copilot team, shifting Mustafa Suleyman to a narrower role and unifying consumer and enterprise AI under a new leader. Todd has strong feelings about Microsoft's history of cutesy consumer tech, from Clippy to Mico. Plus: Todd's adventure using Claude CoWork to browse LinkedIn (and the stern warning he got in response), King County Metro's slick new tap-to-pay feature catches the transit system up with the modern world, the opening of cross-lake light rail, and an Amazon Treasure truck trivia question. With GeekWire co-founders Todd Bishop and John Cook. Audio editing by Curt Milton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.