Amazon Building a Smart Phone?

Written by: cgolia on July 6, 2012.

We brought you news this morning that Amazon may soon be ready to introduce various versions of the Kindle Fire 2 to consumers. Well, you can now add an Amazon smartphone to the latest tech rumor mill. According to Bloomberg sources, Amazon is reportedly working with Foxconn to build a new smartphone to round out their mobile device offerings. In addition, it appears that Amazon is taking steps to bolster their wireless technology patent portfolio in efforts to defend against potential future infringement allegations.

If rumors are true, the device will be entering an already overly crowded smartphone landscape by the likes of Apple and Google’s Android run devices, not to mention Intel’s low-end offering the Orange San Diego. Nevertheless, according to IDC, close to 400 million smartphone units were shipped in 1st quarter 2012 and I’m sure Amazon would like a piece of the action.

I’m sure Amazon will be following a similar model that made the Kindle Fire so successful, a low cost mobile option, that is heavily integrated with their existing digital content platform. Furthermore, I would fully expect the device to be running a re-skinned Android version, as is the Fire. The question being, do we need another device and does anyone want it? Tough to say at this point, without seeing the offering, but I personally think too many devices already exist and the quality suffers as a result.

So I ask you, does the possibility of an Android powered Amazon smartphone peak your interest? Would you consider it as an option?

Let us know below.

Have a good weekend!

via Bloomberg