August 26: The history of Amazon (part 4 of 5)

As the second decade of the 2000s began, Amazon continued to grow in both revenue and company acquisitions.

Source: CNN and Fact of the Day 1
Published: October 2018 and August 2021

The history of Amazon (part 4 of 5)

As the second decade of the 2000s began, Amazon continued to grow in both revenue and company acquisitions. New product launches were a hallmark of this time period.

Product launches here, there, everywhere

2011: Amazon launches Kindle Fire ($199 compared to the $499 iPad). Amazon Instant Video—now called Prime Video—is included in Amazon Prime memberships.

2012: Amazon Web Services announces Amazon Redshift (data warehouse in the cloud). 

2013: Amazon launches its online shopping site in India. Bezos reveals Amazon’s Prime Air drone program.

2014: Amazon Echo is launched and Amazon acquires Twitch (live streaming service). Amazon Prime membership fee raised from $79 to $99.

2015: Amazon surpasses Walmart as the United States’ most valuable retailer (measured by market value). Amazon Books, Amazon’s first physical store, opens. Amazon acquires ​​Annapurna Labs (Israel-based microprocessor chip designer). Amazon launches Prime Day, an annual sales event for Prime members.

2016: Prime Air completes its first drone delivery in the UK.

The Amazon.com home page as of September 2012. Source: Version Museum

Amazon reveals a teaser video for the Prime Air drone program that ran on December 2, 2013 – right before peak holiday shopping season.

Amazon Echo launched at $199, or $99 for Amazon Prime members, and asked customers to request an invitation before they were able to buy the product.