It’s the smartphone rumour that won’t quit, and now
more circumstantial evidence of its eventual release
has surfaced in the wild. BGR has posted what it
describes as photos of an Amazon prototype device,
along with some spec and feature details shared by
“multiple trusted sources”.
The website points out that the prototype is
ensconced in a shell that makes it impossible to suss
out what the smartphone really looks like. But BGR’s
sources say the phone will feature a 3D interface
(backing up an earlier report by the WSJ), and will
include four front-facing cameras to track the user’s
eye movement in the service of various 3D e ects.
And, sure enough, if you look at the image above,
you’ll see what looks like a battery of cameras.
There will be two versions of the unnamed Amazon
phone, with the higher-end version portrayed in the
ostensibly leaked images launching fi rst, BGR reports.
Its sources say a 4.7in display will be limited to a
720p resolution. We should also expect a Qualcomm
Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM, BGR says.
It makes perfect sense for the etailer to release
a phone, as its Kindle Fire tablets have been huge
successes, and Amazon is always interested in
platforms – such as the Fire TV – that help you
impulse-buy digital media, shoes and anything else
that can be delivered in a cardboard box.
But a 3D interface, why? Glasses-free 3D
doesn’t work well on any platform, least of all
handheld devices. But, hey, if Je Bezos is going
to promise drone deliveries, then why not a 3D
smartphone? There’s not a kooky idea the company
seems unwilling to explore.
Let’s just remember that a smartphone isn’t a
smartphone until someone hits send on a press
release. Mega-companies such as Apple, Google
and Amazon have deep, deep war chests to R&D
wild ideas such as 3D phones. The mere presence
of an Amazon phone prototype shouldn’t surprise
anyone. But we’ll just have to wait until Je Bezos
sings to fi nd out what the device will actually include
in the fi nal, shipping fl esh.
