What Comes After The Smartphone? Amazon's Panos Panay Will Make His Case At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

For practically 20 years, the smartphone has been on the heart of {hardware} and software program growth. However with AI transferring from stand-alone apps to being interwoven in our go-to platforms, after which into the working system of our gadgets, the form of the subsequent era of {hardware} gadgets remains to be being developed.

And Amazon SVP of Units and Companies, Panos Panay, is as near that growth as anybody can get. He can be speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to ship unique insights about how he sees the evolution of {hardware} progressing.

Disrupt has lengthy been a spot the place the incumbents share the place they’re inserting their bets, and what impacts and alternatives startups must learn about. Your probability to get a jump-start on the competitors starts October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone West. Earlier than we dig into Panay and his upcoming speak, you should consider locking in today’s ticket pricing before our next tier goes live. Our reductions gained’t final for much longer!

Why Panay brings a novel perspective to Disrupt 2026

Panay isn’t new to reinventing {hardware} classes beneath stress. He spent greater than 19 years at Microsoft, most notably working as their EVP and chief product officer, overseeing the event of a variety of Floor gadgets, from to the original Surface Laptop from 2017 to the foldable Duo. Whereas there, he additionally oversaw the event of Home windows 11, in an overlap of software program and {hardware} that’s changing into a mainstay within the AI period.

His departure from Microsoft was swiftly adopted by the information he was joining Amazon, taking up from longtime consumer devices leader David Limp. Whereas Amazon had beforehand been very centered on the enlargement of {hardware} by the house, Panay has been constructing across the generative AI revamp of Alexa, with the rollout of Alexa+ across several tiers of access in the U.S. earlier this year.

And at Disrupt, Panay will dive deeper into what’s arising subsequent for Amazon and Alexa+. As we probably transfer right into a world through which your day by day routine doesn’t revolve across the telephone in your hand, however on an assistant, a pair of glasses, or no matter type issue OpenAI is leaning into, the probabilities are countless! And that form of future-forward considering is available only at Disrupt.

Be part of us and listen to Panay, and our many different glorious audio system, together with greater than 10,000 founders, traders, and startup group members gathering in San Francisco. Remember to grab your ticket today, or dive deeper into our different Disrupt highlights as we get nearer to the occasion.