Amazon smartphone delayed

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 - 12:30 by David Aiken

E-commerce giant, Amazon, has been working on a smartphone device for some time, with previous rumours suggesting that it could be launching in the first half of 2013.

However, China Times now reports that delays have hit the device and it is likely to go on sale later in the year.

Amazon has taken bold strides into the hardware market with the Kindle e-reader and the Kindle Fire tablet ranges.

What makes these devices so interesting and successful is that Amazon not only controls the hardware, but has the means to market them to a global audience and, in turn, make it easy for users to keep buying products via safe shopping online, with the tablets acting as a conduit for making sales.

If the Amazon smartphone does eventually make it to market, it could be a similarly impressive tactical move from a company that has had great success when it comes to ensuring long term customer loyalty.

Reports suggest that the Amazon smartphone will cost as little as $150 when it goes on sale later this year, which is the equivalent of around 100. It is thought to be using a high res touchscreen display of at least four inches across the diagonal, which will give it the ability to take on its better established rivals.

At the moment, it is unclear as to whether or not Amazon will be using the Android operating system for its smartphone. This is present on the Kindle Fire tablet range, but in a heavily modified form, so the retailer could, conceivably, use a proprietary OS of its own invention this time.

Those who had been hoping to carry out safe shopping online from an Amazon-branded handset may have to wait a little longer to realise this ambition, but even with delays, the arrival of this smartphone seems inevitable.