Xbox cofounder J Allard joined Amazon last month as a vice president on the company’s devices and services team. In an email to The Verge, Allard confirmed his new role but says it’s “too early to have anything to say” about what he’ll be working on at Amazon beyond “new ideas.”
Allard will report to former Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay at Amazon, according to GeekWire. Panay left Microsoft last year after being at the software giant for almost 20 years. Allard spent more than 20 years at Microsoft, cofounding the Xbox division, launching Microsoft’s Xbox Live network, and developing the Xbox 360 console. Allard also oversaw the development of the Zune, Microsoft’s iPod competitor.
Allard departed Microsoft in 2010, following his work on the company’s canceled Courier tablet. Courier was never officially announced as a Microsoft product, but the leaked concept combined pen and touch into a digital notepad.
The Courier was reportedly canceled amid infighting between the Courier group led by Allard and the Windows group led at the time by Steven Sinofsky. Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer reportedly couldn’t choose between Courier and Windows and needed Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates to step in to make the final decision.
Since leaving Microsoft, Allard has spent most of his time running Project 529, a community service organization focused on reducing bike theft. Two Three Bird acquired Project 529 earlier this year, freeing up Allard’s time to “orient my energy towards some new ideas.”
