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Amazon unveils new tech to rev up delivery and streamline logistics

Mohammed Fahad
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Amazon unveils new tech to rev up delivery and streamline logistics
  • Features a small integrated screen, Amelia directs drivers with turn-by-turn navigation, scans package codes, and captures photo proof of delivery.
  • Now leveraging advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and innovative eyewear to shave precious seconds off every package’s journey

In its ongoing quest to redefine fast delivery, Amazon is once again raising the bar for logistics efficiency. The Seattle-based giant, long known for transforming consumer expectations from two-day shipping to same-day and even one-hour delivery, is now leveraging advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, and innovative eyewear to shave precious seconds off every package’s journey.

At Amazon’s annual “Delivering the Future” event, company executives showcased a suite of technologies focused on the notoriously expensive and complex “last 100 yards”—the final steps between a delivery vehicle and the customer’s front door.

One standout: advanced smart glasses, internally codenamed Amelia, developed specifically for delivery drivers. Featuring a small integrated screen, Amelia directs drivers with turn-by-turn navigation, scans package codes, and captures photo proof of delivery.

Unlike the bulky handheld GPS devices typically used today, Amelia’s hands-free operation streamlines workflow and safety. The device pairs with a controller worn in a vest, and its practical design includes swappable battery packs to address longevity on long shifts.

Delivering promising results

According to Beryl Tomay, Amazon’s vice president of transportation, hundreds of drivers have tested Amelia, delivering promising results.

“It reduces the need to manage a phone and a package,” Tomay said, emphasising that the glasses help drivers remain focused and safe on the job. She noted that the new technology has already led to time savings of up to thirty minutes per shift in some cases.

For now, the glasses are experimental and optional; Amazon plans to distribute them at no cost to interested drivers and contractors, but widespread adoption—ahead of formal rollout—remains in flux.

This push for efficiency builds on previous innovations.

Last year, Amazon introduced a delivery van scanner that shines a green spotlight on the correct parcel for each stop, saving time usually spent reading labels. The company has also recently unveiled detailed digital maps that offer richer information about neighborhoods and building layouts, surpassing standard navigation tools to further trim delivery times.

Amazon’s automation efforts

Inside its warehouses, Amazon is expanding its automation efforts. The company demonstrated a new robotic arm, dubbed Blue Jay, designed to collaborate with human workers by picking items and sorting them for faster order fulfillment.

The robotic system is already in use at a South Carolina warehouse and will soon be rolled out to more sites—particularly those focused on ultra-rapid, sub-same-day deliveries. Amazon claims Blue Jay reduces workplace injuries and occupies less floor space than previous-generation robots.

Additionally, a new artificial intelligence system is being deployed at select warehouses, starting in Tennessee. This software will monitor real-time operations to prevent gridlock and streamline daily planning. “We now have a tool to analyze all the site data as it happens,” said Tye Brady, chief technologist of Amazon Robotics. The goal: coordinated, proactive warehouse management across Amazon’s entire network.

However, innovation brings transformation. According to the New York Times, Amazon anticipates that automation will reduce its US hiring needs by 160,000 workers over the next two years, even as it continues to hire short-term staff for the holiday season.

The company’s technological leadership comes at a time when Amazon shares have dipped, closing down 1.8% at $217.95 on Wednesday—the only one of the so-called Magnificent Seven tech stocks to show a year-to-date decline.

SAP misses revenue estimates as cloud growth slows

Ana Mary Joseph
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SAP misses revenue estimates as cloud growth slows
  • Expects cloud revenue to reach the lower end of its previously forecasted range (€21.6 to €21.9 billion) for 2025, citing persistent uncertainty.

German enterprise software leader SAP faced investor scrutiny this week after reporting third-quarter results that fell short of revenue expectations, highlighting both its ongoing cloud transition and the current economic uncertainties.

On Wednesday, SAP announced Q3 revenue of €9.08 billion ($10.59 billion), up 7 per cent from the prior year but just below analyst forecasts of €9.17 billion. The shortfall sparked a 3 per cent dip in SAP’s US-listed shares during after-hours trading, reflecting concerns in the market.

A key driver of SAP’s strategic evolution, its cloud business, posted 22 per cent growth year-on-year—a robust figure, but the segment’s slowest pace since late 2023.

The company, headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, has steadily shifted from up-front software licensing to a subscription-driven, cloud-based model, betting on more predictable, recurring income.

However, Wednesday’s results signal that cloud expansion may be facing headwinds in an uncertain macroeconomic environment.

Profitability remains strong

Despite the revenue miss, SAP delivered on profitability. Operating profit (on a non-IFRS basis) climbed 14 per cent to €2.57 billion, slightly ahead of analyst expectations. Free cash flow, a critical indicator for dividends, also grew by 5 per cent to €1.27 billion.

“We’ve maintained forward momentum despite an uncertain macroeconomic backdrop,” said CFO Dominik Asam, underlining management’s confidence in the company’s strategic direction.

Revised guidance signals caution

SAP provided a measured outlook for the remainder of the year and into 2025. It now expects cloud revenue to reach the lower end of its previously forecasted range (€21.6 to €21.9 billion), citing persistent uncertainty.

In contrast, operating profit is anticipated to come in at the upper end of expectations (€10.3 to €10.6 billion), and free cash flow guidance has been raised to €8– €8.2 billion from the earlier €8 billion estimate.

The guidance reflects SAP’s ability to manage costs and generate cash, even as cloud growth decelerates. Investors responded with caution, sending SAP shares down after the earnings release. The moderated cloud outlook raised questions about whether SAP, and its peers, is entering a more mature phase of cloud adoption.

As the company navigates this transition, investors and analysts will be watching closely to see if SAP can reinvigorate its cloud momentum or deliver additional operational efficiencies to sustain shareholder returns.

A third of big tech Indian employees come from tier 3 colleges

Ana Mary Joseph
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A third of big tech Indian employees come from tier 3 colleges
  • Established finance and tech companies like Goldman Sachs, Visa, Atlassian, Oracle, and Google maintain a preference for campus placements and brand-name institutions, with only 18% of surveyed employees coming from tier 3 colleges.

A significant portion of employees at major tech companies like Zoho, Apple, and NVIDIA in India are graduates from tier 3 colleges, according to a new report by Blind, an anonymous social platform for professionals.

Based on a survey of 1,602 Indian tech workers, the report reveals evolving hiring patterns in India’s competitive IT sector.

Shifting priorities in hiring

The Blind survey categorised educational institutions using the NIRF 2025 rankings, separating graduates into tier 1, tier 2, tier 3, and overseas backgrounds.

Notably, around 34 per cent of respondents working at prominent tech firms—including SAP and PayPal—were tier 3 college alumni. This represents a marked shift away from elite college-based recruitment and toward skills-driven hiring, especially in the fast-evolving tech space.

“Unlike many traditional finance organisations, where a prestigious college name still opens doors, leading tech companies in India are focusing more on skillsets and less on alma mater pedigree,” the report notes.

In contrast, established finance and tech companies like Goldman Sachs, Visa, Atlassian, Oracle, and Google maintain a preference for campus placements and brand-name institutions, with only 18 per cent of surveyed employees coming from tier 3 colleges.

When surveyed about the impact of their education, 59 per cent of respondents who were tier 3 graduates and 45 per cent of overseas graduates said their college was just a line on their resume.

In comparison, alumni from tier 1 and tier 2 schools largely credited campus recruitment for their career starts, highlighting that college networks still play a decisive role for many.

Does college prestige pay off?

The survey found only 15 per cent of tier 3 college graduates believed their education brought significant salary advantages, while nearly three-quarters said it was useful only at the start of their careers or not at all. For overseas graduates, just over half reported minimal or no impact on their earnings from college.

Overall, the responses break down as follows: 41 per cent of professionals surveyed graduated from elite tier 1 colleges (IITs, IISc, leading IIMs, BITS Pilani), 30 per cent from tier 2, 25 per cent from tier 3, and 4 per cent from foreign institutions.

This trend illustrates India’s gradual—but clear—pivot towards meritocracy in hiring, especially in the country’s dynamic technology sector.

India’s e-commerce market to rise 12.5% this year to cross $200m

Mohammed Fahad
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India’s e-commerce market to rise 12.5% this year to cross $200m
  • Harmony of government support, business innovation, and ever-evolving payment systems promises sustained growth and new value for years to come.
  • The shopfronts may be digital, but the excitement is thoroughly real, with each click opening new opportunities for sellers, buyers, and investors alike.

India’s e-commerce market—a journey marked by unstoppable growth, vibrant digital innovation, and a bold reimagining of how the nation shops – is set for a remarkable growth.

In 2025, India’s e-commerce sector is set to accelerate by 12.5 per cent, scaling new heights at Rs17.7 trillion (that’s about $211.6 billion).

What’s fueling this ride? It’s a cocktail of digital enthusiasm, newfound trust in seamless payments, and a clear push from policy and innovation.

Consumer confidence

Why are Indians warming up to online shopping at such breakneck speed? For one, internet and smartphone access has become nearly universal, making it possible for residents from big cities to remote villages to fill their carts with just a tap.

Add to this a wave of secure, intuitive payment tools—think UPI-based systems and international wallets like Google Pay and Amazon Pay—and you get a digitally empowered population eager to shop.

Shopping festivals have become established cultural events, with Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, Myntra’s Big Fashion Festival, and Amazon’s Great Indian Festival transforming everyday consumers into festive bargain hunters.

Every celebratory sale seems to break its previous record, pulling in millions of eager buyers.

Policy support boosting spending

Here’s where government policy steps in, giving a further push to the e-commerce boom. Starting September 22, 2025, GST rate reductions on essentials, gadgets, fashion, and wellness goods have loosened purse strings.

The ambitious 100-day “GST Bachat Utsav” campaign requires transparent discount disclosures and real tracking of savings passed to consumers—raising the bar for industry ethics and goodwill. Major players like Reliance Retail, Amazon, and Flipkart have thrown their full weight behind this initiative.

New growth opportunities

It’s not just policy at work. Private sector collaboration and startup empowerment are fueling the digital shopping engine.

Amazon’s December 2024 partnership with the Startup India initiative is proof: budding entrepreneurs now have access to mentorship, upskilling, and entry to advanced marketplaces—planting seeds for the next generation of e-commerce disruptors.

In October 2025, the National Payments Corporation of India, Razorpay, and OpenAI rolled out a pilot using ChatGPT as a UPI-powered shopping assistant. Now, shoppers can browse and pay within a chat, merging conversation and commerce. Bigbasket is among the first online supermarkets to test this, setting an example for wider adoption.

Today, versatile payment methods lead the way. UPI and mobile wallets have embedded themselves as the preferred payment tools for both shoppers and merchants, celebrated for their speed, safety, and simplicity.

Credit card usage is climbing too, driven by reward points, cashback schemes, and perks like interest-free installment plans. Flipkart’s August 2025 tie-up with State Bank of India to launch a co-branded credit card epitomises this fusion of convenience and consumer-first offers.

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Atlas to challenge Google Chrome

Mohammed Fahad
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OpenAI launches ChatGPT Atlas to challenge Google Chrome
  • Currently, Atlas is up and running globally for Mac users. Windows, iOS, and Android versions are on the way, so cross-platform fans won’t have to wait long.
  • Analysts say Atlas might be a spark in the ad market tinderbox, challenging Chrome’s stranglehold on both traffic and revenue.

OpenAI’s latest reveal—a sparkling new browser named ChatGPT Atlas—has turned heads and sharpened the AI rivalry with Google.

The launch didn’t just drop another browser on the internet; it signaled a direct challenge to Chrome’s long-standing dominance and pointed to a future where browsing, searching, and even shopping look a lot more conversational.

With more than 800 million active users talking to ChatGPT every week, OpenAI is clearly aiming to make its popular chatbot the gateway to the web itself. Atlas isn’t just a place to type in URLs; instead, it’s deeply woven with AI, collecting behavioral insights and guiding users as they surf, shop, or search.

The approach could dramatically change how we discover and process information—making Google’s traditional keyword search feel a bit dusty in comparison.

Unsurprisingly, markets noticed. Alphabet’s shares dipped in afternoon trading after Atlas was unveiled, reflecting real concern over intensified competition on Google’s home turf.

What sets Atlas apart

ChatGPT Atlas joins the current crop of AI-powered browsers—think Perplexity’s Comet, Brave Browser, and Opera’s Neon—but it leans heavily into automation and convenience:

  • ChatGPT Sidebar: This nifty tool can appear on any web page, ready to summarise content, compare products, handle forms, or break down data at a click.
  • Agent Mode: Available for paid users, this feature allows ChatGPT to act on your behalf—shopping, booking, or researching directly on sites without you lifting a finger.
  • Seamless Shopping: During the launch demo, developers showed off how ChatGPT could find a recipe online then automatically fill an Instacart cart with ingredients in just a couple of minutes.

Currently, Atlas is up and running globally for Mac users. Windows, iOS, and Android versions are on the way, so cross-platform fans won’t have to wait long.

OpenAI’s move isn’t happening in a vacuum. Since ChatGPT’s explosive debut in late 2022, Google has been pushing to adapt, integrating its Gemini AI model into Chrome and search. Now, queries can trigger “AI Mode,” which serves up chatbot-style answers alongside the usual laundry list of links.

On the legal front, Google scored a recent victory: a judge ruled it doesn’t have to offload Chrome, and paying partners to keep its search engine in prime position is still allowed—at least while AI shakes up the status quo.

For now, Google Chrome still reigns with a commanding 71.9 per cent market share as of September. But tech analysts say Atlas might be a spark in the ad market tinderbox, challenging Chrome’s stranglehold on both traffic and revenue.

The bigger story? The web’s future might just sound less like “search” and more like a conversation—something ChatGPT Atlas seems built to lead.

Samsung takes on the future of extended reality with Galaxy XR

Ana Mary Joseph
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Samsung takes on the future of extended reality with Galaxy XR
  • Galaxy XR is the first in a new family of gadgets powered by the Android XR operating system and next-generation AI.
  • Customers buying the headset this year will get access to 12 months of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and a host of XR content—all bundled in.

When Samsung Electronics stepped onto the extended reality (XR) stage with the launch of its Galaxy XR headset. By backing its latest device with artificial intelligence features from Google, Samsung has made its ambitions clear: it’s gunning for a place at the top, aiming to disrupt the lineup currently dominated by Meta and Apple.

The Galaxy XR headset comes with a price tag of $1,799—strikingly, that’s about half what you’d pay for Apple’s Vision Pro. It blends the familiar looks of VR headsets already on the market but brings a bold software story: it’s the first in a new family of gadgets powered by the Android XR operating system and next-generation AI.

This marks the start of a long-term partnership between Samsung, Google (Alphabet), and Qualcomm, who are betting that intelligent software can help define the next big thing in personal computing.

Glimpses into the XR roadmap

Sharham Izadi, Google’s vice president of AR/XR, was candid before launch: “There’s a whole journey ahead of us in terms of other devices and form factors.” Samsung isn’t stopping at goggles—the company’s quietly plotting lighter, eyeglass-style wearables, with partnerships already inked with Warby Parker and South Korea’s luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster. So, we’re likely to see sleeker XR eyewear not too far down the road.

Right now, Meta’s grip on the headset market is ironclad—its Oculus products make up about 80% of sales, with Apple trailing.

Even OpenAI, the powerhouse behind ChatGPT, has entered the fray by scooping up Jony Ive’s hardware startup to build devices for the AI age. It’s a full-blown race, with all eyes on who will create the must-have device.

Samsung’s journey hasn’t been a quick one. According to Jay Kim, executive vice president at Samsung’s mobile division, this move comes after a decade of studying XR and four years in deep partnership with Google.

Codenamed “Moohan”—meaning “infinite” in Korean—it was only after careful timing and analysis that Samsung pressed go, feeling the technological moment was right.

Blending virtual and mixed reality

What sets the Galaxy XR apart isn’t just VR immersion, like gaming or watching YouTube in a virtual space. It’s also mixed reality—overlaying digital info on the real world via Google’s Gemini AI. Users can, quite literally, circle objects with their fingers and get instant analysis or directions.

This hands-on integration of multimodal AI—capable of handling text, photos, and videos—gives Samsung a technical edge, at least for now. Apple, notably, hasn’t unveiled equivalent software power in its Vision Pro line, despite a recent hardware refresh.

Samsung is hoping to sweeten the deal for early adopters. If you buy the headset this year, you snag 12 months of Google AI Pro, YouTube Premium, Google Play Pass, and a host of XR content—all bundled in.

The hardware itself gets a robust foundation from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, ensuring there’s plenty of muscle for resource-hungry applications.

A tough road ahead

As is common with any first-generation product, the Galaxy XR tries to do a lot. It’s designed for both consumers and businesses, offering tools for everything from hands-on learning to immersive entertainment.

Yet, despite all this potential, extended reality headsets remain a niche market. Gartner predicts the global head-mounted display segment will grow modestly—just 2.6 per cent to $7.27 billion next year. Eyeglass-type AI devices, like Meta’s Ray-Ban smartglasses, are expected to fuel much of this modest bump.

Industry hurdles

The global virtual reality market, including mixed reality headsets, has logged three years of declining shipments. In fact, research firm Counterpoint expects shipments to dip another 20 per cent in 2025.

But there’s a twist: with its friendlier price point, some analysts believe Project Moohan could be a hit, especially with enterprise buyers who balk at Apple’s high prices.

This isn’t Samsung’s first face computer—remember the Gear VR, which slot a phone into a headset back in the day? Meta’s acquisition of Oculus in 2014 shifted the landscape, but now, Samsung is back at the table with something smarter and far more ambitious.

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