After the success of the Kindle Fire tablet, Amazon may be ready to join the smartphone realm by the end of the year. According to the Wall Street Journal, a source close to the situation reports that Amazon is already working with component suppliers in Asia to test a smartphone of their own. Like with most Android phones on the market today, the Amazon-backed handset that’s currently being tested has a display size of four to five inches. The device could go into mass production by late 2012 or early 2013, the source said.
While Amazon certainly had a breakout year with their affordable tablet, it’s unclear if the Internet retail giant will be able to make a similar transition with a new smartphone. Samsung’s Galaxy S III and Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5 dominate the high-end smartphone market, so perhaps Amazon will surprise us with a more affordable, yet competitive mobile product.
Source: WSJ
