Amazon joins Facebook this week on the list of companies hinting that they may be planning a smartphone launch. The company has hired Charlie Kindel, who formerly headed up Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. According to CNBC, Kindel says he’s working on “something secret” at Amazon, and according to Kindel’s Linked In profile, he is hiring developers, program managers and product managers.
Amazon does not release sales numbers for its Kindle Fire tablets, but some industry sources estimate that the Kindle products are outsold only by the iPad. The Kindle is primarily a loss leader for Amazon’s vast media inventory, so some have questioned the logic of an Amazon device with a smaller screen.
Also, as carriers become more willing to accomodate unlocked phones, the market for unlocked smartphones is booming and Amazon is a major retailer of these. So the company could be competing with itself if it tries to offer its own smartphone.
Based on Kindel’s post on his Linked In profile, it is clear that he is hiring software developers and that Amazon will be increasingly focused on mobile software. It is possible that the company plans to partner with an existing device maker to offer a new operating system or user interface. Just as Facebook likely wants to put its own apps front and center for users, Amazon could benefit from a user interface that focused on its content.
