review amazon fire phone

Amazon phone release date

The phone's release date has been anticipated for two years now, but with a June 18 event scheduled, it seems Amazon is finally ready to put the thing to market.

We wouldn't be surprised if the Amazon phone release date was the same day as its unveiling with sales starting on Amazon.com, however the company may wait a few weeks to get everything right. When you're working with new features like a 3D UI, you want to guarantee it's done right.

As for regions the Amazon phone may head to, it sounds as though this will be a US-only offering to start.

Amazon phone display

According to DigiTimes, so called "industry supply chain sources" have put a ruler to the Amazon Phone. They say the handset will have a 4.7-inch display, which would put it in between an iPhone 5 and a Galaxy S5 when it comes to visual real estate.

This supposed fact, combined with a rumored low asking price, suggests that Amazon is going for the casual smartphone user, one who does not want to spend a fortune and would like to be able to carry the phone in their pocket with ease.

Amazon phone specs

As mentioned, the Amazon phone seems set to arrive with a 4.7-inch screen at 720p. The phone's processor will likely be a Snapdragon from Qualcomm, though how powerful it will be remains to be seen.

2GB of RAM will reportedly make it into the Amazon phone, and we have no word of internal storage options.

Cameras will place a key role in the Amazon phone, and it's said to house six in all. The main rear camera seems to have settled on 13MP and a standard-issue front facer stands guard ready to take selfless, facilitate video chats and access Amazon's Mayday live tech support service.

Beyond taking regular photos, the Amazon phone's back camera is said to have special optical character recognition software that can interpret and convert text captured with it.

Using this function you might snap a photo of a business card to have the phone automatically add information to your contacts, or be able to quickly translate signs written in a foreign language.

When users go to use the Amazon phone, they reportedly will only need some tilts of the device to perform the actions they want (or at least some of them) and not touch controls. What's more, tilting the Amazon phone may reveal information about things like IMDB and Yelp ratings, icon descriptions inside apps and much more extraneous yet useful goodies.

Amazon teases something amazing

Amazon phone 3D features

The standout feature of the rumored handset looks to be its unique 3D interface that follows users around as they move. The best part? No glasses required.

The phone's other four front cameras are where the 3D magic happens. Situated on each corner of the Amazon phone's front, the cameras are actually low-power infrared snapper that work with sensors to track users' faces and eyes. Tracking helps the phone's software make constant adjustments to maintain the 3D visual effects.

Unlike the Nintendo 3DS, there won't be a parallax barrier that stands between users eyeballs and the LCD panel.

Because 3D is the device's standout element, Amazon has apparently included it wherever possible. Look out for special wallpapers that offer a shifting, three-dimensional effect, app icons that jump from the screen and other areas of the phone's UI that have a little something extra. Even the Amazon phone maps app is said to change the view of objects on display. Third-party app makers have also been offered the chance to make use of the phone's 3D abilities, BGR reported.

Finally, the Amazon phone's 3D powers will find a willing participant in Amazon's virtual marketplaces. Manipulating the position of the handset will reportedly give users a 3D look at product images, letting them see sides invisible in a 2D space.

Amazon phone operating system

It's hard to believe the Amazon phone will run anything other than Android, but true to its approach with the Kindle Fire tablets, this will be a highly forked flavor of Google's mobile OS.

While there may be hints of Android KitKat, look for a device laden with Amazon's own touches and a secure way to purchase goods via Amazon.com and video through Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Could we even see some sort of tie-in with Amazon Fire TV? Anything seems possible.

Evi to be the Amazon Phone's Siri?

Back in January 2013, Amazon acquired the startup behind a natural voice search engine similar to the Apple's Siri. Now the scent on the wind is that Amazon will be putting a chat-to app called Evi on its Amazon Phone .

It sounds logical, because Amazon would need this technology to be competitive, and it would be great on Kindle devices, too. Imagine yelling at those lock screen ads that you don't want Fifty Shades of Grey.

Will HTC make Amazon's phone?

Will Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC lend Amazon a hand with its upcoming phone? That's at least one thread of speculation on the streets.

It's the kind of job HTC has been up for in the past, crafting the HTC First for Facebook. While that phone was a fizzle, HTC know how and Amazon clout could be a killer combo. This rumor has us intrigued.

Amazon is actually working on two phones