Amazon invested millions in the startup Nucleus — then cloned its product for the new Echo - Recode

Partner different

"“They must realize that by trying to trample over us — a premiere partner in the Alexa Fund ecosystem — that they are going to really cripple that ecosystem and put a warning out for others,” Frankel said.

“If they’re really willing to threaten that,” he added, “it must be a huge opportunity.”

An Amazon spokeswoman didn’t respond to a request for comment.

For would-be Amazon partners, this is just the latest cautionary tale about the risks of doing business with the online retail giant: No matter what the company says, there are no equal partnerships when Amazon is involved."

Amazon invested millions in the startup Nucleus — then cloned its product for the new Echo - Recode