At an event in Seattle, Amazon finally pulled the veil off its much awaited smartphone. Called the Fire Phone, it is meant to capitalize on the digital ecosystem that the company has created around the likes of its Kindle hardware and the new Fire TV. The phone runs a forked version of Android which at first glance appears to be very similar to the one on Amazon’s tablet efforts.
Specifications of the handset will not leave anyone wanting. Under the hood is a 2.2Ghz Quad Core processor paired with 2GB of RAM which will guarantee a “fast and fluid” interface in Amazon’s words. The camera hardware too is quite impressive with a 13MP sensor, f/2.0 5 element lens and an optical image stabilization system that should aid low light imagery. Additionally, the phone has a dedicated camera button which is essential for every device in our humble opinion. The phone has a 4.7 inch 720p display capable of upto 590 nits of brightness. That last bit should ensure superior day light visibility. The device runs on Fire OS 3.5 which is Amazon’s forked version of Android. There’s a 2400 mAh battery powering the show here.
The phone includes a dedicated button to activate Firefly which is Amazon’s newfangled way to get you to buy even more products from its services. All jokes aside, the button triggers the camera which is capable of recognizing over 100 million objects. Another feature specific to the Amazon Fire Phone is MayDay which is essentially a one step way to get customer support straight on your phone. Available 24×7 and all 365 days of the year, Amazon promises you’ll be able to connect with someone in 15 seconds flat.
Remember all the hoopla around Amazon’s 3D interface? The actual implementation is fairly subdued and far from in your face. The phone places additional cameras that alongside infrared LEDs create a depth map of your face to accurately detect orientation. It then uses this to offer dynamic perspectives in applications that enable interesting new experiences. While the technology behind it is very impressive, we doubt it’ll be a device seller for anyone. The FirePhone is priced at $199 and $299 for the 32GB & 64GB variants and will be exclusive to AT&T. The phone will also be available off contract on Amazon for $649.