If you want to create huge buzz for an upcoming product or service, just announce you’re working on it and then refuse to give any details.
That seems to be Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ strategy when it comes to development of what will be his company’s first venture into the smartphone market with Amazon smartphones.
On the heels of releasing three new Kindle Fire tablets, including the Kindle Fire HDX 7-inch and 8.9-inch devices, the smartphone project remains mostly under wraps.
Amazon Smartphones Include Two Options
Multiple media reports point to two smartphone devices.
One would be a modestly priced “value” phone with an operating system similar to the existing Kindle Fires. But the phone would not be free as previously speculated, reports tech news site Jessica Lessin.
The other more expensive device would include such seemingly improbable features as a simulated 3D display screen and face recognition possibly used to customize the display to the device’s owner.
But it might also include a means of scanning real world objects and calling them up for purchase on Amazon, reports TechCrunch. (Talk about showrooming!)
Here’s more on both phones:
More Consumer than Business
With no release date so far, the devices frankly sound more like consumer than business technology, as were the early Kindles arguably.
On the other hand, if Amazon comes up with a budget smartphone useful enough to small business owners, it could mean at least one more option for your company’s mobile technology plans.
Either way small business owners and entrepreneurs can learn a lot from Bezos who has us all talking about products that haven’t even been released yet.
Smartphone Photo via Shutterstock
ed pierce
Usually a lack of information means that it’s either still in the planning stages or it’s a very lackluster product that will eventually be forgotten and then have to make a comeback like the Windows phone did.
I hope they go with a standard Android deployment. The “tweaked” version they use in the Kindle Fire tablets is a bit wonky.
That said, I bought my Droid Razr Maxx from Amazon so I’d be willing to use them if they had a well-reviewed handset.
Hopefully the OS would be more friendly. The kindle OS is OK, but not my favorite.
I feel it will be a long time before this happens. But it will definitely be interesting to see how it does on the market.
Aira Bongco
I’m excited about the object scanning feature. It would save us the effort of typing the exact brand name and model of a certain product. I just hope that it’s accurate though.
Emily
The Amazon phone looks promising but I wouldn’t want to know I was purchasing an expensive tool that helps me buy even more products. Still, you have to give Amazon credit. One day they and Google will run the world.