Amazon Poaches Windows Phone Director

If Amazon’s not developing a smartphone of its own, it’s certainly doing a lot to maintain the appearance that it is: Sniffing around key wireless patents, and now poaching a smartphone executive from its most prominent Seattle neighbor.

Robert Williams, a 15-year Microsoft veteran who most recently served as senior director of business development for the company’s Windows Phone division, started work at Amazon today. His new role: Director of the retailer’s app store.

Williams joins Brandon Watson, senior director of Windows Phone development, who left Microsoft this past February. And while there’s no hard evidence to suggest that either of the two is working on Amazon’s rumored smartphone, their CV’s and smartphone experience certainly lend credence to the idea.

Amazon declined comment on Williams’s specific duties at the company.