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Apr 12, 2001
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Recent reports suggest Amazon may be preparing a smartphone with 3D capabilities to compete with Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy handsets. New details from BGR and TechCrunch shed some light on this 3D feature and possibly provide us with our first look at the phone, which is partially hidden inside a case.

amazon-phone-bgr.jpeg
According to BGR, multiple sources claim the phone will include a 4.7-inch display with 720p resolution, which is lower than the 1080p HD display in Samsung's flagship Galaxy S5 and less than the projected 1334x750 display that Apple may use in the iPhone 6. Under the hood, the Amazon phone is predicted to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and 2GB of RAM.

The biggest differentiator between Amazon's smartphone and those from Apple and Samsung is a 3D feature, which allegedly uses up to 4 cameras and additional sensors embedded in the phone. Amazon may use the 3D technology to showcase its own products, allowing users to explore a three-dimensional product images, claims BGR.
Another smart use for the phone's 3D effects is across Amazon's various stores, such as its book store, music store and the main Amazon digital market. By shifting the position of the phone, users are able to see three-dimensional product images at different angles to reveal surfaces that cannot be seen in 2D photos.
The 3D capability of the phone may also provide a parallax effect, similar to that in iOS 7. Amazon's implementation in its FireOS may be greatly exaggerated as compared to Apple's version and supposedly is limited to only a few key gestures, reports TechCrunch.
According to our source, the flagship device, Duke, is powered by a heavily modified version of Android. It's FireOS with extreme 3D parallax effects, similar to those found on iOS but greatly exaggerated. The screen itself is not 3D, but rather simulates a 3D effect.

By way of four corner-mounted, front-facing cameras, a user can tilt the smartphone left or right to browse and access hidden side panels. We're told that the 3D feature is very limited out of the box. At launch, there will be just a couple of added gestures built into the operating system that utilize this system.
Rumors point to a possible announcement in the coming months with a target launch date of late September, but this may be subject to change. Amazon allegedly is showcasing the device to key developers as it tries to build third-party support for the platform before it is launched.

Article Link: Amazon's Smartphone with 3D Capabilities Revealed in New Photos
 

Orlandoech

macrumors 68040
Jun 2, 2011
3,341
887
Love iPhones, never been a huge fan of Android phones, although there are a lot of good Android phones, I just see this a an EPIC FAILBOAT
 

iamkarlp

macrumors regular
Oct 15, 2008
102
0
I was really hoping this would be a joke.

Competition is good, but this isn't competition......

Seriously though, this thing looks to have a 2011 expiration date on it.

Karl P
 

DipDog3

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2002
1,191
812
Cause the 3D effects worked out so well for Apple that they had to update it so people could turn it off...
 

rmatthewware

macrumors 6502
Jul 22, 2009
493
125
Looks like they've got the iPhone form-factor down, so that's working for them.

And I guess the only thing 3-D about the phone is the physical phone itself. Am I the only one who doesn't want to rotate and tilt my device to get the picture to move?
 

D.T.

macrumors G4
Sep 15, 2011
11,050
12,460
Vilano Beach, FL
Hopefully it’ll have ads like the Fire tablets:

“This call to your Mom brought to you by Black & Decker”





Yes you can turn pay to disable those, and of course this product won’t have them ... : )
 

Hastings101

macrumors 68020
Jun 22, 2010
2,338
1,446
K
I just don't see Amazon getting into the phone business. Wouldn't there be a *lot* more support required of them than with tablets?
 

Reason077

macrumors 68040
Aug 14, 2007
3,588
3,532
This looks amazing!

3D is going to be the next big thing. Pretty soon all TVs, Movies, and Games consoles will be 3D, and everyone will want that experience on their phones as well.

Apple and Samsung will be scrambling to catch up!!!
 
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TXCherokee

macrumors 6502
Aug 24, 2012
338
180
3-D images, eh?

So, I'll finally be able to send this 'text' message.
 

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nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,323
8,608
I hope some people realize that the phone is in a protective case, so we really can't see how it looks.
 

MacSince1990

macrumors 65816
Oct 6, 2009
1,347
0
This looks amazing!

3D is going to be the next big thing. Pretty soon all TVs, Movies, and Games consoles will be 3D, and everyone will want that experience on their phones as well.

Apple and Samsung will be scrambling to catch up!!!

I'm pretty sure most of us who've "experienced" 3D have already attested to the fact that we're neither impressed nor interested.
 

sulpfiction

macrumors 68040
Aug 16, 2011
3,075
603
Philadelphia Area
Complete fail! Can't the bigwigs at Amazon see this? And it actually looks like a decent phone. But marketing it as 3D is the first HUGE mistake. And at the stage in the game, you better be coming to the table with something that is leaps and bounds better then whats available now. If it's not (and this isn't) it's going to sink like a lead balloon.
 

chirpie

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2010
646
183
I'm pretty sure most of us who've "experienced" 3D have already attested to the fact that we're neither impressed nor interested.

Duuuude. Re-read it with sarcasm radar activated. ;)

(Or maybe you were just pilling on with additional understated cruelty... :p )
 
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surfingarbo

macrumors regular
Jun 12, 2011
114
294
There's nothing wrong with being "late to the game".

Again, both the first iPod and iPhone were released years after MP3 and "smartphones" already existed.

Personally I'll still stick within the Apple ecosystem myself, but let's give them a chance by being positive towards this technology.
 

Piggie

macrumors G3
Feb 23, 2010
9,109
3,974
Why does anyone want 3D? Wasn't that a fad that passed in 2010?

Probably almost everyone would like 3D when it's implemented right and the technology exists to make it happen.

We'll get there, it just takes time and trying like everything humans have done.
 
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