The Amazon Kindle smartphone is coming, at least it’s been pretty much confirmed by all the rumors flooding in. Right now the company is working on selecting the components for the device. A new report talks specifically about who is going to provide the LCD panels for Amazon’s upcoming smartphone.
According to Digitimes and their Taiwan based source, Innolux has been contracted to build the TFT-LCD display for whatever device Amazon has in the works. Interestingly enough, Innolux is also going to produce LCD panels for the Apple iPad Mini, essentially replacing Samsung’s role.
No one is sure what other components will be included in the yet unnamed device. Many believe we can expect it to be somewhere around 4.7-inches. That really seems to be the sweet spot for most folks, between the magical 4.7 and 5-inches.
Many rumors hint at a Q2 release, but it’s possible that won’t occur due to unforeseen problems at Foxconn’s plant, the company rumored to be the manufacturer of said device.
So, what can we expect in general from an Amazon branded phone? Will it take after the Kindle Fire HD? Will it look like Samsung’s new flagship? Will it use sturdy materials for the outer casing like the HTC One?
My bet is on the first option. If Amazon is making a device, then they’ll want to keep it similar to products they already offer. It’s a matter of brand awareness, especially since this is their first venture into the smartphone market. We’ll probably end up seeing a variation of the Kindle series, with this phone taking advantage of Amazon’s unique services.
The real question here is, will it sell? It’s been getting quite a bit of press lately, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Amazon is going to move a lot of units. How many peoplewould actually be willing to buy an Amazon branded phone?
The word on the street is that Amazon will sell the device somewhere between $150 and $170, putting it right in line with some of the cheaper handsets out there. They may even work out a deal with a mobile carrier to provide free data to Kindle phone owners. As it is with a Kindle Fire HD (8.9″), users are allotted 250MB of data a month for free, through AT&T’s LTE network. Would an offer like that entice you to pick up an Amazon phone on the cheap?
What do you think folks?