Former Surface chief Panay to reveal what comes after the smartphone at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

For nearly two decades, the smartphone has been the centerpiece of hardware and software development. Now that AI is moving beyond standalone apps and into the operating systems of devices, the shape of the next generation of gadgets is only beginning to take form. Few people are closer to this evolution than Panos Panay, Amazon's senior vice president of devices and services. He will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 and share exclusive insights into how he sees hardware progressing.

The event runs October 13-15 at San Francisco's Moscone West. Disrupt has long served as a stage where industry leaders reveal where they are placing their bets and what opportunities and challenges that creates for startups.

Panay is no stranger to reinventing hardware categories under pressure. He spent more than 19 years at Microsoft, where as executive vice president and chief product officer he oversaw the Surface lineup, from the original Surface Laptop of 2017 to the foldable Duo. He also led the development of Windows 11, blending software and hardware in a way that is becoming a cornerstone of the AI era.

After leaving Microsoft, Panay quickly joined Amazon, replacing longtime consumer devices chief David Limp. While the company had previously focused on expanding hardware for the home, Panay has centered his work on the generative AI overhaul of Alexa. Earlier this year, the rollout of Alexa+ began across several access tiers in the U.S.

At Disrupt, Panay will dive deeper into what comes next for Amazon and Alexa+. The world may shift from a daily routine built around the phone in hand to an assistant, a pair of glasses, or whatever form factor OpenAI is pursuing. Alongside Panay, the conference will feature other speakers and draw more than 10,000 founders, investors, and startup community members.