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Amazon axes Glow video-calling instrument for children

Amazon will not promote its video-calling instrument geared toward children, the corporate showed to CNBC.

At its annual {hardware} match ultimate September, the web retail large unveiled a curious-looking product, referred to as Amazon Glow, that blended video calling with video games. Youngsters may video chat with their family members, and the instrument projected graphics that spoke back to the touch.

The $300 instrument was once firstly best to be had via invitation, however Amazon made it to be had to the broader public in past due March. Now, simply over six months after its wider rollout, the corporate mentioned it’s going to prevent promoting the Amazon Glow.

A product web page for Glow on Amazon’s web page confirmed the instrument was once “lately unavailable” as of Tuesday night.

“At Amazon we predict large, experiment, and spend money on new concepts to thrill shoppers,” Amazon spokesperson Tim Gillman mentioned in a remark. “We additionally frequently evaluation the development and possible of our merchandise to ship buyer worth, and we incessantly make changes according to the ones checks. We will be able to be sharing updates and steerage with Glow shoppers quickly.”

Bloomberg previous reported Amazon’s determination to halt gross sales of Amazon Glow.

The transfer comes as Amazon curtails spending around the corporate amid fears of an financial downturn, and slowing retail gross sales.

Amazon is freezing hiring for company roles in its large retail group, and it is reassessing growth in some spaces of its achievement community. The corporate has additionally lately wound down initiatives that were not acting in addition to it was hoping, together with its Amazon Care telehealth carrier and a number of other bodily shops chains.

Amazon normally unveils a smattering of gadgets at its annual {hardware} occasions, lots of which incorporate its Alexa digital assistant, reminiscent of voice-activated microwaves and glasses. Its additionally been recognized to finish merchandise that fail to realize traction, such because the Echo Loop good ring.

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