Xbox co-founder J Allard leads Amazon’s ‘breakthrough’ device team

Amazon has formed a new team called ZeroOne, focused on developing ‘breakthrough’ devices, led by Xbox co-founder and former Microsoft executive J Allard. According to CNBC, the team is working on innovative consumer products, including a smart home device. J Allard, known for his work on the original Xbox and Xbox 360, as well as projects like the Zune MP3 player and Kin phone, joined Amazon in late 2024 to explore new ideas. Job listings for the ZeroOne team include roles in applied science, product marketing, and customer insights, with a focus on creating a new smart home product. While Amazon already has a strong presence in the smart home market with its Alexa ecosystem, the specifics of ZeroOne’s projects remain unclear, and no release date has been announced.