Amazon Planning to Take on Apple in Smartphone Market

[rendevouspoo]

Google's throwing dollar bills out of the window of a moving car. [/I]

While outside of that moving car, the dollar bills multiply and vacuum right back in once the tablet or phone is turned on with ads and such. You really think Google would lose money just for the sake of it?

 

[AustinIllini]

Amazon and WebOS????

That was my first thought, also. I guess Amazon wasn't interested when HP was looking to sell it, or HP's asking price was too high. Either way, if HP isn't going to do something with WebOS, someone should.

 

[Mr. Gates]

Wow.
Look at everyone getting their panties in a bunch.
It's just another option.
Some of you are just way to brainwashed to even have a conversation with.
Yeah, we get it. You worship Apple , move on.
Amazon rocks.

 

[CausticPuppy]

OK, I'm calling it now. The new device will be called:


Kindle Ember


Or possibly

Kindle Spark.

I totally should work in marketing.



Other possibilities which will be rejected: Kindle Smokepuff, Kindle Bic Lighter

 

[Obese Lobsters]

I might be in the minority here, but I think this is one to watch. Amazon is no slouch in the innovation department. They did things with kindle that were way ahead of the game and significantly changed the landscape that even apple now enjoys. When the Fire came to be, it wasn't targeting iPad, but reader devices such as the Nook, and they dominated that market.

I purchase music from iTunes, but I purchase movies from Amazon, because I can play them anywhere on any device, and just about any TV. In fact, most new TV's come with amazon built-in. They have a long-term strategy that's working, building up an interesting ecosystem that's working, and building quality products (within their niche) that are very well received.

Maybe I'm just an idiot, but their history and reputation tell me that this isn't going to be a flop. It won't be an iPhone, but I seriously doubt that's the intention. Whatever they have up their sleeve will likely be pretty interesting, and no doubt offer something new.

I agree, although I don't see this phone hurting iPhone sales too much but like the kindle fire I can see this phone taking sales away from other android devices. I believe that people prefer the amazon to samsung, htc etc...

 

[Bwilky]

I see multiple benefits from this.

1) More competition. Right now there's just android, iphone, and windows phone . A Fourth one will have to bring some really cool features, or low cost to get somebody to blink. Good for us!
2) Maybe they'll get so fed up with this whole sandbox play with software patent trolls and finally fix it

 

[Hastings101]

OK, I'm calling it now. The new device will be called:


Kindle Ember


Or possibly

Kindle Spark.

I totally should work in marketing.



Other possibilities which will be rejected: Kindle Smokepuff, Kindle Bic Lighter

I actually like the sound of Kindle Spark

 

[Rogifan]

Apple didn't jump on the netbook bandwagon, their notebooks and desktops are priced at non-competing price points to the rest of the market yet they still manage to make it work. Apple competes for your new dollars by developing new products, they don't have knee-jerk reactions to what others are doing. That doesn't make them saintly, just focused.

That's why I think these rumors of an iPad Mini are bunk.

 

[powers74]

Big Answers!

What will its major selling points be? That will be the big question.

Duh! E-books on a phone (which everyone loves), AngryBirds!, In Space!! Buying things from Amazon from your phone (which everyone does), and lots of other stuff!! Duh! It's a great idea!

 

[jdawgnoonan]

More competition is good.

Android and WinMo have both helped iOS become better. There are countless features in iOS that are obviously inspired by the other two platforms. This is nothing but a good thing.

History might be different on this if Amazon had not had to break their iOS apps to keep themselves from being forced to give Apple a 30% cut.

(And Amazon's cloud is free)

 

[lifeinhd]

Amazon should stick to two things on the consumer side: eBooks and selling other people's stuff.

Yeah! And Google should stick to search and web mail! And Apple should stick to Macs!

 

[tasset]

Wow.
Look at everyone getting their panties in a bunch.
It's just another option.
Some of you are just way to brainwashed to even have a conversation with.
Yeah, we get it. You worship Apple , move on.
Amazon rocks.

I actually like Google's unadulterated Nexus OS better than iOS. But I still only use iOS because I care about the long game. I want quality for consumers to continue and I have more trust in that happening with Apple's hardware business model than others' models of ad revenue, media, or capitulating to carriers. You don't think Microsoft is being led by the hand with Windows phone in their pronouncement to push carrier billing and ISIS support?

 

[kiljoy616]

Google is going to be pissed.

Title makes me ROFLMAO. Its more like Amazon is pissed that Google is going to compete with them on tablet so Amazon is going after Google with their own Android OS.

For Amazon to compete with Apple then Amazon need to bring out their own non Android phones.

 

[ladymacintosh]

Why is this front page news on a Mac rumors blog????

 

[KnightWRX]

So... you're saying that you agree with him that they're both Unix spinoffs?

Linux is not a Unix spinoff at all. In fact, it hasn't been spun off of anything, it's an OS written by Linus Torvalds from scratch.

 

[kiljoy616]

I love my Kindle Fire, but it isn't even close to stable enough for me to consider using the software (similar at least) in my phone.

Its still just Android, hardware is Amazon specific but OS is just Android locked down. I always love how everyone is out to compete with Apple but no one bring out their own OS, well except Microsoft which I salute them for that.

----------

Why is this front page news on a Mac rumors blog????

Because its so funny and we, I mean most of us get a kick out of these headlines.

----------

Linux is not a Unix spinoff at all. In fact, it hasn't been spun off of anything, it's an OS written by Linus Torvalds from scratch.

Based and inspired by Unix, even he said so, old news. No one cares anymore since Linux has come so far since those days. But for some reason it does crop up here and there like it means something. Something is normally based or inspired by something else, reason I hate software patents.

 

[KnightWRX]

You couldn't be more wrong.
Android is open source and can be used by anyone without giving anything to Google.
The only restriction is Google's apps and the trademarked Android logo.
Amazon cannot use them without paying a license fee to Google.
The name "Android" simply refers to the OS.

But that doesn't change the fact that it IS an Android device.
The underlying frameworks are still pure Android. Their Android App Store would not work on the Fire if they were not using proper Android frameworks.
Customizing the front end doesn't change what it is... another Android device.

Hence, they can't call it Android. Android is a trademark before anything else. The code base they are using might be the same, but it's still not Android.

 

[kiljoy616]

Android and WinMo have both helped iOS become better. There are countless features in iOS that are obviously inspired by the other two platforms. This is nothing but a good thing.

History might be different on this if Amazon had not had to break their iOS apps to keep themselves from being forced to give Apple a 30% cut.

(And Amazon's cloud is free)

I doubt they inspired as much as they forced them to implement. I find it really hard to believe the 1000's of programers and designers at Apple could not come up with stuff everyone else is doing, but knowing Apple and I love them for it they are so fanatically conservative at giving out features until they are brainless to use. Same for the other companies I doubt they steal ideas as much as they are forced to implement them because of competition. I love competition.

Apple cloud is free also up to 5 gigs which I have yet to pass the 3 gig mark.

 

[KnightWRX]

Based and inspired by Unix, even he said so, old news. No one cares anymore since Linux has come so far since those days. But for some reason it does crop up here and there like it means something. Something is normally based or inspired by something else, reason I hate software patents.

Based on what from Unix exactly ? Linux isn't even POSIX compatible entirely. BTW, Linus was inspired by Andrew Tannebaum's work on Minix (which also isn't Unix), not AT&T or BSD's implementation of Unix, and was free of any Minix code (so it's not based on Minix, only inspired by). The original USENET post for reference :

Linus Benedict Torvalds
Post reply
More message actions
26/08/1991

Hello everybody out there using minix -

I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and
professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing
since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on
things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat
(same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons)
among other things).

I've currently ported bash(1.08) and gcc(1.40), and things seem to work.
This implies that I'll get something practical within a few months, and
I'd like to know what features most people would want. Any suggestions
are welcome, but I won't promise I'll implement them

Linus (torvalds@kruuna.helsinki.fi)

PS. Yes - it's free of any minix code, and it has a multi-threaded fs.
It is NOT protable (uses 386 task switching etc), and it probably never
will support anything other than AT-harddisks, as that's all I have :-(.

Driving the point home, later that same day :

As to POSIX,
I'd be delighted to have it, but posix wants money for their papers, so
that's not currently an option. In any case these are things that won't
be supported for some time yet (first I'll make it a simple minix-
lookalike, keyword SIMPLE).

Can't get clearer than that.

 

[kiljoy616]

Hence, they can't call it Android. Android is a trademark before anything else. The code base they are using might be the same, but it's still not Android.

So what should you call the OS?

This is as bad as calling the iPad 3 "the new iPad Retina gen. 3" because Apple decided to stop using a number. Can't wait for iPad 4 so that we can call it "the newer but not new iPad Retina gen. 4 or not" iPad.

 

[KnightWRX]

So what should you call the OS?

That's not my call to make, write Amazon and ask them what the OS is called.

----------

So what should you call the OS?

This is as bad as calling the iPad 3 "the new iPad Retina gen. 3" because Apple decided to stop using a number. Can't wait for iPad 4 so that we can call it "the newer but not new iPad Retina gen. 4 or not" iPad.

Uh ? The iPad is simply called iPad.

 

[samcraig]

So what should you call the OS?

This is as bad as calling the iPad 3 "the new iPad Retina gen. 3" because Apple decided to stop using a number. Can't wait for iPad 4 so that we can call it "the newer but not new iPad Retina gen. 4 or not" iPad.

Why do you need to call the OS anything? It's the Kindle Fire's OS. How's that?

 

[kiljoy616]

That's not my call to make, write Amazon and ask them what the OS is called.

ROFL your statement was that its not Android. Now your asking me to call Amazon.

Amazon tablet is an Android tablet then everything else is semantics.

 

[Shearwater]

Time flys

They were saying similar things about Apple....2003-2006

Amazon should stick to two things on the consumer side: eBooks and selling other people's stuff.

 

[rendevouspoo]

ROFL your statement was that its not Android. Now your asking me to call Amazon.

Amazon tablet is an Android tablet then everything else is semantics.

Wow, you should think about stopping.