Amazon has launched a new team named ZeroOne, dedicated to developing “breakthrough” devices. This team is spearheaded by J Allard, cofounder of Xbox and a former executive at Microsoft, according to a report from CNBC. A recent job posting for the team reveals that one of their projects involves a smart home device.
J Allard played a pivotal role in the creation of the original Xbox and Xbox 360 consoles. Over his nearly two-decade career at Microsoft, he also contributed to the development of the Zune MP3 player, Kin mobile phones, and the Courier tablet concept. He joined Amazon in late 2024 to focus on exploring “new ideas.”
Amazon’s job listings for the ZeroOne team feature senior positions in applied science, product marketing, and customer insights. The applied scientist role emphasizes work on “a new smart-home product,” while the product marketing position references involvement with “an Amazon device,” though details are sparse.
It remains uncertain when a product from the ZeroOne team will be officially launched.
Amazon is no stranger to the smart home sector, having established multiple product lines within its Alexa ecosystem, which includes Echo devices and its other brands like Blink and Eero. The company’s Alexa event in February was heavily centered around the new AI-powered Alexa Plus smart assistant, which is currently invite-only and comes with a $20 monthly subscription fee.
