Rumour: KindlePhone in 2012?
We're guessing that if the KindlePhone does arrive, it'll be a little bit smaller.
The source is analyst Mark Mahanet, who said, ‘based on our supply chain channel checks in Asia led by Kevin Chang, Citi’s Taipei-based hardware research analyst, we believe an Amazon Smartphone will be launched in 4Q12.’
The rumour suggests that a Texas Instruments OMAP 4 processor and QualComm dual-mode 6-series cellular network controller will be used, given that QualComm has supplied similar chips to Amazon for its eBook readers.
There’s a detail in the Citigroup report that, because an ‘OS royalty’ has to be paid to Microsoft, the smartphone will be based on Android. This is no surprise given that the Kindle Fire was also based on Android.
The device is ‘guessed’ by Mahany and his team to cost between $150 and $170 to build and ‘it’s conceivable that the company will sell it for something close to that price.’ Typically, All Things D says, smartphones are sold with a 30 per cent gross margin but ‘if Amazon is actually willing to lose some money on the device, the price gap could be even bigger.’
There seems to be no evidence from Citigroup’s research team to back up the assertion that Amazon would sell the smartphone at cost or a loss.
Intrigued by an Amazon phone, or concerned that it’ll tempt you into spending way too much on cool stuff? Let us know in the fourm.
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18 Comments
Discuss in the forums ReplyI have got a kindle phone, its an android phone with kindle app installed. The software is brilliant, access to my library and syncs over mobile broadband. on a phone. seems a bit redunant to me particularly since if it is like the Fire tab it is android too but without android market, crazy!
Somehow, I can't see a device that began life as an e-book reader and moved on to being a multimedia tablet breaking in to the phone market. If it's just going to be a variation on Android, why not just buy an Android?
As the above poster said, there's already a Kindle application on Android. Can't help but feel like this'll be completely redundant and flop.
There's no reason amazon can't produce a tablets or phones however they'll be using a backlit screen so therefore are in no way a reading device and shouldbe treated as such.
Why go and dilute the brand by sticking the name on everything?
The kindle fire I can just about handle, even if it is a back lit IPS screen, but the unless the phone is a crazy e-ink wonder then I just don't want to know.
I'd rather they just got on and thought about other countries maybe wanting some of the stuff they already do - like the Fire and the Kindle Touch. Pent up market right there.. and no risk even.
its a great device sure but when will us UK foke get to see it 10 years time?
it does not run all andriod apps to person above it runs a limited selection of them that amazon controls
so for amazon phone great for USA fokes but us none USA fokes wont ever see it so it goes under MEH same as COD review lol
Seems to be getting easier to relate to....
I'm guessing pretty high..... It's what Apple do.
^Emphatically this! Give me a largish phone with an e-ink screen and optional side light for when I need to use it in the dark as anything and I'm in. No colour, no backlight (no touch screen for me either but I realise that others like this idea) and it sounds like a plan.
Look at it this way - how much do you actually need colour on a phone? Not much really, we survived a very long time without and it isn't essential now. My first mobile phone was an LCD screen with 3 lines of text! It did the job, lasted for years and I was sad to lose it. An e-ink screen is a significant power saver, it shows what you need to see with near perfect clarity if there's a light source and is minimally affected by glare - something that can't be said for most mobile phone screens.
Front IPS
Back with e-ink.
Simples.
Loving the display picture.. Red dwarf!
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A tablet/phone hybrid.
(apart from that beeing available now)
It should run any android App, all you need to do is side load it from the SD card. Also Amazon does not control the apps in their market. The limited selection they have is still quite large and are apps that they know work on their device. All they are doing is bringing a little of the Apple marketplace ethos to the android market place.
The reason we do not have the Kindle Fire in the UK is not down to stock issues. The Kindle fire requires the Amazon Market place to function fully. Something that has not yet been launched over here.
Once they pull their finger out and launch the App store in the UK then they can launch the Kindle Fire.
I really like Amazons e-book and Audio book offerings, they just need to start leveling the playing field between the US and UK, as we miss out on a lot of what the Americans get, mainly due to licencing issues I believe.