We’ve been hearing about an Amazon-branded smartphone for well over a year now. Talk has died down in the last few months, but the rumors have flared up again, courtesy of KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Having correctly predicted the iPhone 5S and 5C availability in 2013, Kuo issued a note to clients that stated Amazon’s smartphone would be available in 3-6 months. Intercepted by BGR, the note specifies that supply won’t necessarily be booming. “The supply chain will start stocking up materials in 2Q14 for production,” wrote Kuo in the note. “We estimate required components will amount to 700k-1.2mn units, and assembly to 300-600k units.”
Interestingly, Kuo wrote that Amazon’s smartphone will have six cameras, three times more than the two cameras modern-day smartphones are equipped with. The cameras, Kuo wrote, will allow for gesture controls without you having to touch the screen.
“The key feature of the smartphone, we believe, will be the six cameras,” wrote Kuo. “Aside from the main camera, which is used to take pictures, and the sub camera, used for video conferencing (these are both found in all smartphones), we think the other four cameras will be used for gesture control, allowing users to operate the smartphone without touching the touch panel.”
Given Amazon’s insistence of wanting to integrate its products with its services, much like how it does with the Kindle tablet line, Kuo predicts that Amazon will do the same with its smartphone in order to differentiate itself from other phone brands.
Specs-wise, the handset is predicted to have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor that powers its 4.7-inch display. The display, Kuo wrote, will have a pixel density of between 300-320 ppi, with the handset itself settled in a plastic housing. The rear-facing camera will be a Sony 13-megapixel variant, while secondary cameras will be provided by Primax. Finally, the battery is rated at between 2,000 and 2,400mAh.
Kuo’s prediction of several cameras coincides with an earlier report that the phone will have those cameras to track head and eye movements, with the user interface responding to the movements.
While Kuo didn’t predict whether Amazon’s smartphone would be a smash hit, he did open the possibility that the handset has that potential. “While Amazon’s smartphone is at the experimental stage, we think its hardware features and business model may have the potential to garner a positive market reaction,” noted Kuo.
Ball’s in your court, Amazon.
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