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Founded by Jeff Bezos in a garage in 1995, twenty years after Microsoft, Amazon quickly metamorphosed from a simple book store to a major eCommerce giant, selling everything from planes, farm tools, and regularly prepared meals to children’s toys.

Amazon has been very aggressive in acquiring new tech and encouraging internal innovation. According to Jeff Bezos and the CEO Andy Jassy, the bigger a company gets the better. For them, valuing innovations, and focusing on the customer needs and not competitors is more important to help reach new markets quickly. (Mullaney, 2017)

The current major area of the contest between Amazon and Microsoft is the Software as a Service (SAAS) Market, where Microsoft has been dominant but now has Amazon’s full attention. Here are a few software services from Amazon and Microsoft covering similar market needs and demands.

Skype for Business versus Wickr + Chime  

Microsoft combined Lync with Skype, launching Skype for Business in 2015 to offer video conferencing with added end-to-end encrypted secure Instant Messaging, chatroom and file sharing features.

Amazon then responded by launching Chime in February 2017 to provide video conferencing services and acquiring Wickr in 2021 to provide secure instant messaging services with added file sharing features.

Teams versus Slack

Microsoft launched Teams in March of 2017 to cover group project management, collaboration, and workflow. All of Microsoft’s software is integrated into the office 365 platform making Microsoft users’ work really easy. To cover the same services, counter Microsoft’s dominance, and bolster Wickr’s and Chime’s capabilities, Amazon partnered with Slack in 2020.

Dynamics RMS versus Veeqo

Microsoft released Dynamics RMS in November of 2016 to cover Retail Management, Point of Sale, and eCommerce Integration. To cover the same services, Amazon Acquired Veeqo in March of 2022.

By Impactnet Africa

Impactnet Africa is a Media, Technology and Public Policy space for in-depth news and analysis on public policy challenges, entrepreneurship and career opportunities.

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