Amazon has reportedly been demonstrating the unreleased handset around San Francisco and Seattle. Apparently the distinguishing feature of Amazon’s phone is that it can display 3D images but does so in a way that doesn’t require special glasses.
The WSJ pointed out that Apple and Samsung make up 49% of the mobile market, and it would be hard for a new phone to get a foothold. Then it noted Motorola and BlackBerry used to reign supreme and are now marginal players at best. I think if anyone was trying to break into the mobile handset market, Amazon has a leg up since they have more brand recognition than virtually any other company. But if that’s all it takes, everyone would carry Facebook phones.
If Amazon makes a useful device, it’s entirely possible it could have success. We used to all have MySpace accounts and BlackBerry phones, then something new came along that people liked better, or at least used more. It could always happen again, but I don’t know if this is how to go about it—3D doesn’t seem to be catching on in TVs and I doubt it’s somehow better on a smaller screen.
Pricing and final specs on the phone are unclear , and the aforementioned sources pointed out that Amazon might change its mind about launch plans at any moment for a variety of reasons.