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Amazon unveils Fire Phone handset Amazon Fire Phone offers 3D views and gesture controls
(35 minutes later)
Amazon has unveiled its first handset, calling it the Fire Phone. Amazon has unveiled its first handset, offering 3D effects - thanks to four special cameras on its front - and gesture controls.
The 4.7in (11.9cm) smartphone features a 13 megapixel camera and unlimited storage for the photos it takes via the firm's Cloud Drive facility. The Fire Phone allows its user to change an image's perspective by moving their head, rather than creating a "pop-out" effect.
Amazons chief executive announced the device at a press conference in Seattle. The owner can also scroll through a webpage or bring up menus by tilting the smartphone in their hand.
Chief executive Jeff Bezos announced the phone at a press event in Seattle.
The launch comes at a time when Amazon's tablet sales appear to be on the wane, despite recent price promotions.The launch comes at a time when Amazon's tablet sales appear to be on the wane, despite recent price promotions.
The firm shipped one million Kindle Fire-branded devices in the first three months of this year, down from 1.8 million the same period in 2013, according to IDC. Mobile content
Another innovation introduced by the Fire Phone is a dedicated side-button to activate Firefly, an app that allows it recognise text, images and sound in the smartphone's immediate vicinity.
It can be used to bring up information - for example details of a wine, or the name of a song - and when relevant, the chance to buy the same or a related product from Amazon.
The device also takes advantage of several other online services the company offers, including:
Crowded market
Amazon shipped one million Kindle Fire-branded devices in the first three months of this year, down from 1.8 million the same period in 2013, according to IDC.
The research firm's data indicates that Amazon's market share of the tablet sector now stands at 1.9%, about half what it was a year ago.The research firm's data indicates that Amazon's market share of the tablet sector now stands at 1.9%, about half what it was a year ago.
The handset market is an even more crowded space with several existing manufacturers failing to profit from the hardware they sell.The handset market is an even more crowded space with several existing manufacturers failing to profit from the hardware they sell.
But with the number of global smartphone users approaching the two billion-mark, grabbing even a small fraction of the market could still prove valuable to the US firm.But with the number of global smartphone users approaching the two billion-mark, grabbing even a small fraction of the market could still prove valuable to the US firm.
"An Amazon smartphone would be less about profiting from device sales per se and more a way to pocket a larger share of multiple revenue streams, such as mobile retail sales, mobile content and advertising," suggested Cathy Boyle, an analyst at the market research firm eMarketer."An Amazon smartphone would be less about profiting from device sales per se and more a way to pocket a larger share of multiple revenue streams, such as mobile retail sales, mobile content and advertising," suggested Cathy Boyle, an analyst at the market research firm eMarketer.
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