Amazon set to reveal 3D phone expected to only be available on AT&T
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Amazon was today putting the finishing touches to its first phone, which is set to be unveiled within hours by boss Jeff Bezos.
It is believed the the device will use retina-tracking technology to make images on the smartphone's display appear to 'float above the screen like a hologram and appear three-dimensional at all angles.'
It is believed the handset will initially be offered in the US only by AT&T in a deal that echoes the launch of the original iPhone.
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Amazon's much rumoured holophone is set to be announced on June 18. The retailer released a teaser video on Wednesday, showing people's reaction to the device. Previously images of the handset have leaked online. The latest images (pictured) reveal a relatively thin handset - that looks a lot like Apple's iPhone
HOW IT WILL WORK
The device has a front facing camera in each corner of the screen.
These extra cameras are used to track the position of the user's face and eyes in relation to the phone's display.
This allows Amazon's software to make constant adjustments to the positioning of on-screen elements, altering the perspective of visuals on the screen and making them appear to be in 3D - without the need for glasses.
The rumoured deal has already riled AT&T's competitors,
Seattle based T-Mobile's chief executive, John Legere, tweeted, 'Really, @Amazon? What happened to home-town pride?'
Previously images of the handset have leaked online.
It has been under development since 2009 at Lab126, Amazon's secretive Silicon Valley hardware division.
More than 1,600 people claim Lab126 as their employer on the professional networking site LinkedIn, according to Business Week.
The latest images also reveal a relatively thin handset - that looks a lot like Apple's iPhone.
'Multiple trusted sources have verified the authenticity of the image, which was created for internal use by graphic designers at Amazon,' web site BGR said.
The handset appears to take design cues from Apple's iPhone 5 and Google's Nexus handset.
'As can be seen in this new image published exclusively by BGR, Amazon's phone will feature an overall look that is similar to many full touch smartphones currently on the market,' said BGR.
'In fact, it appears to take design cues from several existing smartphones including Apple's iPhone, Samsung's Galaxy S lineup and even the HTC One, which has a polished, chamfered bezel much like the one seen on Amazon's phone.'
The handset is believed to have a 4.7-inch display with 720p HD resolution, a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 2GB of RAM, and six individual camera modules to make the 3D effect work.
It will run a highly customized version of Google's Android operating system similar to the one seen on Amazon's Kindle Fire tablets.
The handset will be revealed in June and launched in September, the report claims.
This would pit it directly against Apple's upcoming iPhone 6, which is also expected to go on sale in September.
The Amazon handset has a beveled edge similar to apple's iPhone 5
Apple's patented system is slightly different to the 3D display Amazon is rumoured to be working on. The first pictures of Amazon's 3D handset were revealed last week, pictured, and appeared to feature four cameras and retina-tracking technology that are used to create a 'floating screen' effect
Previously the site has obtained images of the handset sheathed in a protective case.
'Finally, we have obtained exclusive photos of a prototype of the unreleased device, giving the world its first look at Amazon's hotly anticipated phone, web site has previously BGR said.
'As can be seen in the images, the device is covered by a protective shell intended to prevent people without authorization from seeing the physical design of the phone.'
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also believes the firm will launch a phone.
'We predict Amazon (US) will launch its own brand smartphone in 3-6 months, using the same hardware strategy as used for its e-reader and tablet,' he recently wrote.
'The supply chain will start stocking up materials in Q2 2014 for production.'
It comes just weeks after the firm launched Fire TV, a set top box that doubles as a games console.
The box allows users to download films and TV shows, along with apps.
To play games, users can use a remote, or buy a separate game controller for $40.
The handset is shown in a special protective case to shield its final design. However, the four cameras are clearly visible in each corner
The handset look almost like Nokia's Windows Phone with its large, rounded shell - although that is believed to be simply to hide the final design
Mike Frazzini from Amazon Games said each game will be priced like a phone app, costing on average $2.
Games available at launch will include Minecraft, driving game Asphalt 8 and first person shooter Sev Zero, created by the games studio double Helix Microsoft bought recently.
Peter Larsen from Amazon said the firm wanted to 'invent and simplify' with the box.
'It's incredibly powerful, and it's unbelievably simple,' he said.
The move would pit Amazon in a battle with Google and Apple, which is expected to unveil its latest iPhone in September
'Tiny box, huge specs, tons of content, incredible price—people are going to love Fire TV," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder and CEO.
The service uses Amazon's existing Prime TV and film on demand service, along with Hulu Plus.
The gadget, costing $99, is aimed squarely at Amazon and Roku's products along with google's Chromecast.
Following Amazon's foray into the tablet market with the Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD - being shown off here by CEO Jeff Bezo - the company is said to now be working on a smartphone with a 3D screen
The firm said it plans to add more services in the future.
Amazon already offers on-demand TV shows and movies free to customers who are members of Amazon's premium shipping service Prime, in both the UK and US.
Speculation about Amazon smartphones began in 2011.
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