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Amazon Is Looking For A Digital Currency & Blockchain Expert
Amazon’s ideal candidate is someone who has at least 10 years of experience in product management and understands blockchain and related technologies.
When the value of Bitcoin, and most other cryptocurrencies along with it, suddenly jumps up from just under $30,000 to nearly $40,000, you know that either Elon Musk has tweeted again or that some potentially groundbreaking cryptocurrency news is making the headlines. This time around, it’s the latter. Insider recently noticed that Amazon’s payments acceptance and experience team has posted a job listing for a Digital Currency and Blockchain Product Lead, and journalists and cryptocurrency advocates alike have immediately started speculating if Amazon is planning to start accepting cryptocurrency payments.
“The Payments Acceptance & Experience team is seeking an experienced product leader to develop Amazon’s Digital Currency and Blockchain strategy and product roadmap,” the job listing states. “You will leverage your domain expertise in Blockchain, Distributed Ledger, Central Bank Digital Currencies and Cryptocurrency to develop the case for the capabilities which should be developed, drive the overall vision and product strategy, and gain leadership buy-in and investment for new capabilities.”
According to Amazon’s qualifications requirements, the ideal candidate is someone who has at least 10 years of experience in product or program management, product marketing, business development, or technology and understands blockchain and related technologies.
Since the job listing was first noticed, Amazon has officially confirmed its validity. In May, a similar job listing was published by Apple.
Also Read: Instagram Fights Cybercrime With New Security Checkup Feature
Currently, Amazon doesn’t accept cryptocurrency payments, but the company’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) division does offer a managed blockchain service, allowing anyone to easily create and manage scalable blockchain networks.
Microsoft is the biggest competitor that already accepts cryptocurrency payments that Amazon currently has, and there are many other large companies across a variety of different industries doing the same. If Amazon decides to join their ranks, it would be the black swan event so many people in the cryptocurrency industry are currently waiting for.
News
Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent
According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.
Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.
As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.
Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.
Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…
— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024
The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.
A Collaborative Software Effort
Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.
Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.
Feature Set And Compatibility
The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.