Amazon may unveil a smartphone along with new Kindles

With Amazon readying to host an event of its own to show off its upcoming Kindle tablet, a rumour that had popped up before has surfaced once more regarding an Android-based smartphone. This time, however, the rumour mills state that the mythical Amazon smartphone could be unveiled alongside the updated Kindle Fire and the new backlit Paperwhite kindle e-reader.

As per a report dated 5th September by The Verge, author Nilay Patel states, “There may be one more surprise in store: a mobile phone. Multiple sources have confirmed to The Verge that Amazon is working on a smartphone that runs a variant of the Kindle Fire's Android-based operating system, and we're now hearing that the device will be shown to the press tomorrow.”

Amazon smartphone may be unveiled soon

The report goes on to add that the handset is not yet ready and if Amazon does announce it, there may not be too many details present. Patel went on to state, “But at this point we would expect it to run a forked version of Android 4.0 as the leaked Kindle Fires seem to do, and to include Nokia Maps as the location solution — forking Android means Amazon can't use Google Maps, and Nokia spoke today of adding a "major" mapping partner at its own Windows Phone event.”

As mentioned earlier, this is not the first time that we have heard about the fact that Amazon may be working on a smartphone. In July, a report by The Wall Street Journal stated that Amazon is taking these plans forward and is already working with component suppliers in Asia to test a smartphone, and in the process, expand on its mobile device offerings.

A rumour that has been circulating around this smartphone pertains to the size of the display it will feature. The report by The Wall Street Journal stated, “Officials at some of Amazon's parts suppliers, who declined to be named, said the Seattle-based company is testing a smartphone and mass production of the new device may start late this year or early next year.” Commenting on the size of the new phone's display, the report adds, “One person said the screen of Amazon's smartphone currently being tested measures between four and five inches.”

It is expected that Apple will increase the display size of the iPhone from 3.5-inches to 4-inches and if Amazon does launch a handset with a 4-inch screen, it would not only compete with the Apple iPhone but also with the Samsung Galaxy S III and the HTC One X, both of which feature a display measuring over 4.5-inches.

It is also believed that Chinese mobile manufacturer Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. is working with Amazon for building this handset and Amazon is seeking to complement the smartphone strategy by acquiring patents that cover wireless technology and would help it defend against allegations of infringement.

With the Amazon event just a few short hours away, we will know for sure if these rumours have any base or if Amazon will only unveil the tablets and not a smartphone.