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Not content with dominating only the tablet market, new rumors indicate that Amazon could be soon entering into the smartphone ring with their own pseudo Android device manufactured by Foxconn. According to Bloomberg’s sources, the phone will compete with both the iPhone and Android devices — much like the Kindle Fire. Yes, the underlying OS will be Android, but just like the Kindle Fire, all the Google apps we’ve come to know and love will be ripped from the OS, replacing it with Amazon’s Appstore and media services.
Can’t really knock ’em for it either. The smartphone market could always use a new contender, and I have to admit, it would be nice to recommend a heavily “dumbed down” Android device for the grandma’s and grandpa’s out there (I’m sick of being my family’s tech support guy). If Amazon can manage to go light, yet powerful, on the spec side, they could have an affordable smartphone for the masses, and another hit on their hands. Even still, it’s going to be hard to get the price down below what Google is currently offering in the $350 Galaxy Nexus.
And before you leave a comment on Amazon falling victim to Apple’s legal team, those “with knowledge on the matter” are saying the online retailer has already begun prepping a hefty set of patents they will use to deflect the biggest patent troll the world has come to know.
I’m not sure if I should be happy or scared. Will it be like the Kindle Fire? low-budget and without camera’s?
smartphone without camera is a dumbphone really.
Preaching to the Choir
Is it sad I rarely (if ever) use the rear facing camera on my Galaxy Sll? I use the front facing camera for face unlock on ICS but thats it.
Would never sell without camera
I’m aware of that, tell Amazon.
Word, just sent them a email :)
They didn’t respond! Lol
Is it just me, or are most tech giant’s design teams out of touch with what consumers want? They tend to design to their personal preference, instead of something that everyone can enjoy.
it’s not the design teams that are out of touch. it’s the executives and bean counters that tell the design teams what to create.
Probably a bit of both
It’s Amazon, they’ll either forget to include a camera or they’ll put a single back facing VGA camera and the phone will probably have 200mb of internal storage with a half core 500mhz processor.
One-sixteenth core, anyone?
Kindle Spark?
That’s actually pretty good. Quick, trademark it!
Move over GarminPhone… you’ve got company!
Seriously though, it would be great if they sold it unlocked and contract-free. I would never buy one, but if they did this it would have a good effect on the market.
Good points Chris. While I’m not a fan of a android/amazon locked down with Amazon services only, I DO think this could find a huge niche if done right.
This is something that would be good for my parents. They’re baby boomers and the fact that they can email without calling and asking 101 questions is amazing. I told them I ordered the Google Nexus tablet and they’re like “oh it can search Google?” no it’s basically their version of a Kindle Fire. “I thought they were a search engine company?” They are. =)
They’re familiar with Amazon, and they’re both frequent shoppers. It would put their minds at ease and they’d feel comfortable seeing the brand Amazon. Now it may not be ideal for us, but for the AARP generation, just like the Kindle Fire, it would have it’s niche.
Yo, Michael AND Chris – FYI, “sonny”, this baby Boomer, AARP-generation grandpa is also an early adopter (Thunderbolt on launch day, and Galaxy Nexus on launch day!) Show some respect for your elders! (especially when they’re Facebook friends, Chavez… )
Good to see an older generation hopping on the Android bandwagon. =D I died a lot in side when my grandad switched to ios from his blackberry instead of picking a droid up.
I consider iPhone the smartphone for people who don’t like smartphones!
Well at least some of you know what you’re doing. My relatives are completely clueless. If I tell them go to Phandroid, they’d be like “a what droid?” =P
Whatever their reasons for not hiring me, I believe that Verizon missed a nice opportunity to have someone like me (EXACTLY like me, actually!) to sell seniors on Android/smartphones.
The AARP generation! I don’t know if I should laugh or scold you for being disrespectful! ;-P
Unless Amazon begins paying people to own and use the phone, the thing will be dead on arrival.
All they need to do is put out a okay spec and make it free and it will sell like $200 kindle fire.
I’m more curious who will manufacture them if they do build phones. Whoever it would be, you know they will garner attention from Apple. Amazon won the last round, maybe this is a blessing in disguise if Amazon can get some Apple patents invalidated should another battle ensue.
Chris my Brother… remember that file I wasn’t suppose to open? I opened it…. now my phone doesn’t work. ;)
Most probably powered by S4 processor!!! That would be awsome :)
Wow! “it would be nice to recommend a heavily “dumbed down” Android device for the grandma’s and grandpa’s out there..” The sophomoric arrogant ignorance on the this site never ceases to amaze.
I wonder what is the population of engineers, programmers, IT, research, physicists, et al, who are grandparents in the country if not the world. Further, to suggest they, and anyone over a certain age need a “heavily dumbed down” phone reflects a really shallow frame of reference. Get out a little more, perhaps something other than Google I/O. Might I suggest an Opera or RAMM–The bicycle one.
You must be a south pole elf
I am one of those baby boomers who preordered the HTC Dream(G1).So I have been on Android from the begining. I left my Palm pda and Windows Mobile phone behind.
Obviously if you look at the overwhelming majority you will fond that statement to be true. Relax dude. I think we are all well aware that some older folks are up on their tech. Most however are not nearly as much.
Exactly. Most older people aren’t scouring Phandroid digging up news to find the newest and best phone that’s a must have. They aren’t on XDA getting roms and kernels to further update their phones. Most of them see a phone on TV, and go in to Best Buy and check it out, maybe read some reviews online first, or check with Consumer Reports. Or even simpler… Their friends new phone caught their eye and it’s the one the want because their friend already talked to them about it and they’ve fiddled around with it.
I think you mean RAAM (Ride Across AMerica)?
Yes I do. I was amazed to see there was a team of over 70 year-olds who beat a crap load of younger riders. And another team that was over 75 years old and also did amazingly well. Fortunately for me, I’ve met a lot of old dudes like this, and I can only hope to be as fit and intellectually strong when I get up there in age.
I haven’t ridden in about a decade, but now I’m thinking about getting my Sequoia in shape…