Amazon to reignite Fire Phone with Alexa+ and no apps? It sounds both odd and awesome
Amazon is reportedly planning an Alexa+ powered handset and is considering making it a "dumb" phone.
Amazon is reportedly planning to release an Alexa-powered smartphone more than a decade after its first, somewhat disastrous attempt to crack the mobile market with the Fire Phone, a new report has claimed.
Reuters sources say Amazon is planning a “mobile personalisation device” that syncs with Alexa and “serves as a conduit to Amazon customers throughout the day.” So, that sounds a lot like a shopping-focused phone with Alexa doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
Internally, the device is being referred to as Transformer (not Optimus Prime? Missed opportunity there, lads) and the sources said that it’ll be a personalised Amazon loyalist’s device, which is designed to facilitate shopping (Amazon and Whole Foods, maybe?) and viewing media from Prime Video and Prime Music Unlimited. You’d have Grubhub on speed dial and ordering would be “easier than ever,” the report says. We’d have to assume that Kindle and Audible would be deeply integrated too, as well as gaming and other Prime benefits, although that’s not mentioned in the report.
Amazon will lean into AI for the Transformer device and, because of its presence, users wouldn’t need the Amazon app store for downloading applications. Presumably the AI could interface neatly with third party services without the need for registration or installation.
However, while Amazon is focusing on Alexa (and in all likelihood the new Alexa+ assistant with greater generative and agentic qualities) it won’t be the main OS. So we’re not getting a repeat of that lame Humane AI pin, at least. Indeed, the form-factor may look backwards rather than forwards, the report says.
“The company has explored both a traditional smartphone and a so‑called “dumbphone” with more limited features that could help counter screen addiction, the report says.
It goes on: “One inspiration for the new phone has been the Light Phone, two of the people said, a $700 minimalist smartphone with a camera, map, calendar and not much else, such as an app store or web browser.
“A dumbphone or feature phone could also help Amazon market it as a potential second handset to accompany iPhones and Samsung Galaxies already in customers’ pockets, the people said.”
Amazon is looking at this as a means of boosting AI adoption among its customers though, the report says, so the Alexa assistant is likely to be front and centre. Very interesting! Watch this space.
Chris Smith
