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ASICS GEL-KAYANO 31 offers stability and comfort in every step
Mumbai: ASICS announced the launch of the GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe, the latest in what has long been one of ASICS’ stability running shoe series. The optimised comfort has been achieved thanks to a refurbished upper enabling the latest model of the GEL-KAYANO series to cuddle up to all runners.
Succeeding the new approach for adaptive stability with premium comfort taken by ASICS in designing the shoe’s predecessor, the GEL-KAYANO 30 shoe, the shoe may help runners of all abilities go further as they move their minds.
Following the ASICS Design Philosophy of continuous small improvements to create products that feel best for both body and mind, the shoe’s asymmetrical medial design upper has been refurbished to create a supportive fit and a more comfortable feel. The mesh upper has also been designed to provide better ventilation, ensuring the feet stay cool over longer distances and improving flexibility so that runners get maximum comfort with every stride.
Through updating the shoe’s outsole with a HYBRID ASICSGRIP rubber material, the GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe also helps provide better traction throughout your run, to strengthen the shoe’s stability. This combined with PureGEL technology delivers improved shock absorption and even smoother transitions, adding further protection.
As with its landmark predecessor, the shoe benefits from a unique 4D GUIDANCE SYSTEM which – honed through user testing and research – works with the movement of the body to provide adaptive stability and comfort, cuddling up to all runners when they need it most.
Junichiro Tateishi, general manager of the Product Function Research Department, at ASICS said: “We believe the GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe not only provides the stability the shoe is famous for but also delivers a truly impressive level of comfort to help runners go further. We are also proud that the GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe continues to display its CO2e emissions, printed on its insole as 10.6kg per pair, which shows ASICS’ ongoing commitment to transparency regarding the CO2e emissions so that runners can feel confident about their choice of GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe.
The GEL-KAYANO is a legendary running shoe for a reason, and we’re excited to see how fans of the series enjoy this added comfort when they try the shoe. Our hope is that it helps everyone feel comfortable, confident and uplifted.”
The GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe will be available for men and women from ASICS retail, online stores and specialists running outlets globally from 20 August 2024 for Rs 15,999.
To find out more about the GEL-KAYANO 31 shoe and the latest technologies, please visit asics.com.
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Amazon Q1 revenue jumps 17 per cent to $181.5bn, profit soars to $30.3bn
AWS surges 28 per cent while AI bets reshape cash flow and drive future growth
SEATTLE: Amazon kicked off 2026 with a strong first quarter, reporting a 17 per cent year-on-year jump in net sales to $181.5 billion, up from $155.7 billion in the same period last year, as growth across cloud, advertising, and retail continued to gather pace.
Excluding a $2.9 billion favourable impact from foreign exchange, sales still rose a solid 15 per cent, underlining broad-based demand across its businesses.
The company’s cloud arm, Amazon Web Services, remained the star performer, with revenue climbing 28 per cent to $37.6 billion. Operating income for AWS reached $14.2 billion, up from $11.5 billion a year ago, reinforcing its role as Amazon’s profit engine.
Meanwhile, North America sales rose 12 per cent to $104.1 billion, while international revenue increased 19 per cent to $39.8 billion, or 11 per cent excluding currency effects.
Profit growth outpaced revenue. Operating income climbed to $23.9 billion from $18.4 billion last year, while net income surged to $30.3 billion, or $2.78 per share, compared with $17.1 billion, or $1.59 per share, in the first quarter of 2025. A significant boost came from $16.8 billion in pre-tax gains linked to Amazon’s investment in Anthropic.
Cash generation also strengthened, with operating cash flow rising 30 per cent to $148.5 billion over the trailing twelve months. However, free cash flow dropped sharply to $1.2 billion from $25.9 billion, largely due to a $59.3 billion increase in capital expenditure, primarily tied to artificial intelligence investments.
Commenting on the results, Amazon president and CEO Andy Jassy said, “We’re making customers’ lives easier and better every day across all our businesses, and their response is driving significant growth.”
He added that AWS growth of 28 per cent marked its fastest pace in 15 quarters, while Amazon’s chips business crossed a $20 billion annual revenue run rate, growing at triple-digit rates. Advertising revenue also crossed $70 billion on a trailing twelve-month basis, and store unit growth hit 15 per cent, its highest since the tail end of pandemic lockdowns.
Artificial intelligence remained front and centre of Amazon’s strategy. The company deepened partnerships with OpenAI, Meta, NVIDIA and Uber, while expanding its proprietary chip ecosystem including Trainium and Graviton.
Amazon revealed that it has already deployed over 2.1 million AI chips in the past year and plans to roll out more than one million NVIDIA GPUs starting in 2026. OpenAI alone is expected to consume around two gigawatts of Trainium capacity for advanced AI workloads beginning in 2027.
The company also highlighted rapid adoption of its AI services, with Amazon Bedrock processing more tokens in the first quarter than in all previous years combined, and customer spending on the platform rising 170 per cent quarter-on-quarter.
Beyond cloud and AI, Amazon continued to scale its consumer and logistics ecosystem. It delivered more than one billion items via same-day or overnight delivery so far in 2026 and expanded ultra-fast delivery services across multiple global markets. Prime Video also saw strong engagement, including sports streaming growth and box office success for original content like Project Hail Mary, which has grossed nearly $615 million globally.
Looking ahead, Amazon expects second-quarter net sales to reach between $194 billion and $199 billion, representing growth of 16 per cent to 19 per cent year-on-year. Operating income is projected between $20 billion and $24 billion.
Despite macro uncertainties ranging from foreign exchange fluctuations to global economic conditions, Amazon appears to be leaning into its biggest bets yet. With AI investments accelerating and cloud demand holding firm, the company is positioning itself not just for growth, but for what it calls the next big inflection in technology and commerce.
