Amazon phone takes cues from competitors in leaked render

Amazon phone render
Change is hard

Unlike the Amazon phone's first alleged public appearance, this time it looks like the handset isn't wearing any armor.

True, it's just a computer-generated render, and not an actual photo, but BGR's sources maintain it's real. It does match up nicely with what we've seen and heard previously, though it should be noted much of that info as of late has been coming from the Boy Genius' sources.

The rumors are coming together to form a picture of a phone that makes up for what it lacks in hardware innovation with a strange new interface and software features.

That wheel needs replacing

As for the phone we see in the render, it basically looks like an iPhone with the Galaxy S5's home button.

In fact it seems to more closely resemble an older iPhone, like the iPhone 3G, than anything more contemporary.

Granted, the Amazon phone reportedly sports some unique tilting, gesture and head-tracking controls, and Amazon will be able to differentiate it with software sold through its own Amazon app store.

A previous report said Amazon phone owners will be able to subscribe to a special data plan called Amazon Prime Data, though the details are far from clear at this point.

So what if it looks like a Frankenstein monster made of parts from more popular phones that have been out for years? As has been said many times before, no point in reinventing the wheel.

Of course, one has to wonder whether Apple and Samsung, two amply litigious companies who are more than happy to roll around in court battles like pigs in (you know), will feel the same way.

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Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.


Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.