Amazon has been teasing us for weeks. (Via Flickr / soumit)
Releasing this video showing users playing with .... well, something that's apparently really awesome.
"That's really cool."
"That's amazing." (Via Amazon)
But let's be real, everyone pretty much guessed it was a smartphone, Amazon. You're not that sneaky. (Via Business Insider, CNET, Los Angeles Times)
And on Wednesday, suspicions were confirmed as Jeff Bezos announced the company's first smartphone, the Amazon Fire Phone, at an event in Seattle. (Via CNBC)
So what's on board the new handset? Well, it will come with six cameras — with four of those on the front tracking the user's head. (Via Amazon)
Using technology called "Dynamic Perspective," the phone then creates 3D effects and gesture controls.
"It's kind of like I'm looking at a different world when I'm just looking at the lock screen." (Via Amazon)
As BGR reports, the phone will also come with a heavily-personalized version of Android, kind of similar to what you see on the Kindle Fire Tablet.
Other built-in features include unlimited cloud-based storage as well as integration with Amazon's newly-announced music service and Amazon Prime video.
That close association with Prime shouldn't come as a surprise.
Amazon's done it before with its Kindle Fire and Fire TV — offering cheaper devices than the competition that hook deep into its existing content delivery systems and get users to stick around. (Via Amazon)
And then there's the company's new technology "Firefly." Owning its own button on the phone, Gizmodo reports the feature can reportedly identify just about anything, then bring it up on Amazon.
And it looks to be taking on Shazam simultaneously as well.
The Verge says, "If Firefly hears a song ... it will prompt you to check it out on Amazon Music or buy tickets on Stubhub. If Firefly hears Game of Thrones, it will show you the show’s IMDB entry. ... Firefly even recognizes book covers and art."
Another rumor confirmed Wednesday? That exclusive deal with AT&T. The phone will reportedly only be available from the company starting July 25.
Amazon will offer its new handset starting at $199 for 32GB of storage and moving up to $299 for the 64GB version. That, of course, is with a contract. (Via Amazon)
Without, the phone will run about $650, which is in line with Apple's 16GB iPhone 5s. (Via AT&T)
All purchases of the phone will reportedly come with one year of Amazon Prime.
