June 19, 2014
Amazon.com stepped into the smartphone ring Wednesday, unveiling the Fire Phone, a 4.7 inch device with 3D capabilities, a 13 megapixel camera and free photo storage. Users can control the phone by tilting it, adding a three-dimensional element to its screen. They can also navigate through menus or maps just by moving the phone from side to side. The Fire Phone even employs eye-tracking technology, so that the image on the screen changes as the users moves his or her head. The phone is Amazon’s bet that it can take on Apple and Samsung, while drawing more customers into its Prime subscription service universe. It plugs directly into Amazon’s Prime Video, Prime Music, and cloud storage services. It is also closely integrated with the company’s Kindle reading apps and Audible audiobooks services.
Amazon is officially in the smartphone business. Confirming months of rumors, the world’s largest online retailer unveiled on Wednesday its long-awaited smartphone, the Fire Phone. “The phone is gorgeous,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and CEO, to an auditorium full of journalists, analysts and Amazon customers. “I can’t wait for you to get your hands on it. Premium materials, rubberized frame. Gorilla Glass on both sides.” The phone is capable of displaying images in 3D, thanks to four specialized cameras on its front that track a person’s head movement. The 3D imaging even works in the dark because the cameras can see infrared light. “The key is knowing where the user’s head is at all time,” Bezos said. “In real time. Many, many times a second.” The Fire Phone has a 4.7-inch screen, which Bezos characterized as the perfect size for one-handed use, and has a 13 megapixel camera for taking pictures. He boasted that tiny electric motors adjust the lens 100 times per second, counteracting jittery human hands holding the phone. With a two-year contract, a 32GB Fire Phone is $199, while a 64GB version is $299. Bezos didn’t give an off-contract price, but according to Amazon’s website, the phone costs between $649 and $749 without a contract.
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