X

Amazon tipped to enter the smartphone market... in 3D

Following Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Dash, the company may be adding to its hardware line-up with a new smartphone slated for release in June.

Claire Reilly Former Principal Video Producer
Claire Reilly was a video host, journalist and producer covering all things space, futurism, science and culture. Whether she's covering breaking news, explaining complex science topics or exploring the weirder sides of tech culture, Claire gets to the heart of why technology matters to everyone. She's been a regular commentator on broadcast news, and in her spare time, she's a cabaret enthusiast, Simpsons aficionado and closet country music lover. She originally hails from Sydney but now calls San Francisco home.
Expertise Space, Futurism, Science and Sci-Tech, Robotics, Tech Culture Credentials
  • Webby Award Winner (Best Video Host, 2021), Webby Nominee (Podcasts, 2021), Gold Telly (Documentary Series, 2021), Silver Telly (Video Writing, 2021), W3 Award (Best Host, 2020), Australian IT Journalism Awards (Best Journalist, Best News Journalist 2017)
Claire Reilly
2 min read

While Amazon is largely known for its online retailing business, the company may be set to add to its hardware line-up with reports of a new Amazon smartphone slated for release as early as June.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.(Credit: CNET)

The Wall Street Journal reported last Friday that the company has been "demonstrating versions of the handset to developers" in San Francisco and Seattle over recent weeks. According to "people briefed on the company's plans", the online retail giant is aiming to announce the device in June and begin shipping product by the end of September.

It's not the first time rumours of an Amazon smartphone have circulated, with talk of a Kindle smartphone (to follow the established Kindle tablet range) popping up as early as 2011. Now the talk surrounds glasses-free 3D screen technology and multiple front-facing cameras; while 3D smartphone screens aren't new, these features would certainly help in setting the device apart from its competitors.

It's been a busy few weeks for Amazon, particularly outside its online shopping wheelhouse. At the start of the month the company announced the launch of Amazon Fire TV, an Apple TV competitor that allows video streaming from US content providers. Last week, Amazon went further on the hardware front with the Amazon Dash – a handheld scanner that allows users to scan common items in their pantry and add them to their Amazon shopping list.

A spokesperson for Amazon told CNET Australia that the company is "not commenting on rumours at this stage" regarding either a northern hemisphere or Australian release for an Amazon smartphone.