Amazon launches Fire-brand

AMAZON RECENTLY launched its much awaited smartphone Fire, finally bringing an end to the suspense over the phone’s commercial debut. While the market is dominated by Samsung and Apple, Jeff Bezos the CEO of Amazon is hopeful of being able to touch $2b in sales of Fire alone. The phone features a customised version of Android and the apps for the same are available through the company’s Amazon app store.

Some of the features which give the phone an edge include Prime Apps, Firefly, Optical image stabilisation, 3D, Tilt scroll and eye tracking.

Here are some of the key outstanding features of Fire:

Integration with Corporate applications:

Fire integrates with the corporate Microsoft Exchange email system seamlessly by leveraging Microsoft’s ActiveSync tool, and also adheres to corporate security policies and guidelines. The phone’s Office Suite Viewer app enables users to view Office products such as MS Power point or Excel. Fire also has the ability to encrypt the data on the phone thereby ensuring privacy and security of data and supports Mobile Device Management which allows remote control of the phone, its apps, passwords etc. Amazon also plans to provide secure access of corporate networks or VPN’s and intends to provide single-sign on facility, in future.

Prime Music app:

The new Prime music app is being positioned by Amazon to boost the subscriptions to its Prime service which has a $99 yearly subscription for free streaming of music. The Prime Music App will allow users stream and download music from mobile phones and car dashboards.

Firefly:

A new visual recognition app accentuates the personal shopping experience and is designed to get the phone users shop on Amazon and keep visiting the same for more shopping! The app automatically scans, identifies and recognises objects, allowing users to save a web address or a product that users wish to buy and also has the intelligence to scan and remember barcodes of about 70 million products.

The phone’s audio recognition technology has a similar function for music and video content thereby streamlining the sale. The feature, of course, ensures that the shopper is always well within Amazon’s environs.

3-D experience:

The phone is equipped with four infrared-backed cameras on the phone’s frontal side for the user to experience the depth of images, maps and graphics. The phone provides a rich array of wallpapers and the enhanced gaming experience on a few select titles wherein the user is provided with tiers of visual effects.

Optical image stabilization:

Optical image stabilisation is built into the 13Megapixel camera which purges motion blur that can be caused by the user’s shaky hands. Though the feature is already in-built in the likes of Google Nexus 5, HTC One and Nokia Lumia 920, the OIS feature is achieved by mechanical motor adjustments and not software corrections.

Amazon’s entry into the crowded and highly competitive smartphone segment hasn’t really taken centerstage with the numbers in Amazon’s own ranking list put Fire as low as 61st in the best-selling electronics category!

Fire, with its $199 price tag, does have a good set of features and robustness, but to wean away ardent Samsung or Apple users will surely be an uphill task for Bezos and company.

prashant.vadgaonkar@hotmail.com