Categories: Devices: Smartphones & Cell Phones

Amazon Fire Phone Reception

After Amazon launched the Fire Phone, the reception to this device was mixed. Many reviewers found Firefly and the Dynamic Perspective features to be significant differentiators. However they noticed several drawbacks, such as the 2013-level technical specs, including the lack of Bluetooth LE, the underdeveloped OS, as well as the Fire Phone’s high price. Many people strongly disliked the exclusivity of the device to AT&T’s network.

According to many experts, the main drawbacks included the confusing interface, bland design and Firefly’s poor accuracy. Some reviewers liked the design, while others were concerned about the thickness and weight of the smartphone, saying that it looked more like a prototype than a finished product. Others felt that the interface was simple to navigate. The headphones were generally well received by all.

Wall Street Journal’s Geoffrey Fowler, praised Amazon for attempting to make inroads that might disrupt the larger companies, remarking that the smartphone market “needed new ideas”.

In conclusion, we could say that Amazon’s debut phone isn’t bad, as it has built a nice, solid device. However, in order to top Apple and Samsung, Amazon needs to do better in our opinion. Amazon’s first smartphone is a series of interesting ideas, but its unique and superficial features don’t provide enough utility.

For a few weeks, the Fire Phone occupied the number one spot on the “Best Selling” list on Amazon.com, but then sales dropped. In October 2014, during the announcement of third quarter financial results, Amazon stated that they took a $170 million hit due to costs associated with the Fire Phone. It stated that Amazon had over $83 million worth of Fire Phones still in inventory, but the company declined to comment on how that would affect predictions for the fourth quarter.