Amazon smartphone should finally show its face June 18

Amazon's smartphone likely to launch at June 18 media event
Does Jeff have something special up his sleeve?

Update: Blink and you miss it, but one eagle-eyed Google+ user snagged a screen grab of what everyone in the video is gawking at.

Aaron Kasten paused Amazon's vid at just the right moment to reveal a phone-sized black item in the hands of one woman. You can also see the device reflected in her glasses.

We obviously can't say with 100% certainty this is the Amazon phone and the device we'll meet June 18, but, well, it's hard to argue otherwise.

Keep checking this space for more on the forthcoming Amazon smartphone.

Amazon phone in video

Original article below...

It looks like the end to eternal wait for the long-rumoured Amazon phone is finally coming to a close. The e-tail giant is throwing a launch event June 18 hosted by CEO Jeff Bezos, and all signs point to the company's 3D smartphone hitting the stage.

Along with making the event pronouncement on Twitter, Amazon released a YouTube clip featuring "Amazon customers" (most probably actors), wowed by a mystery device. The positioning of some of the people's hands suggest they are holding a phone, and as you can see in the image above, it even makes a flash cameo appearance.

One person in the video said it was, "very real life and incomparable to anything I've ever seen." Others waxed lyrical while moving their heads from side to side as if checking out a glasses-free 3D effect.

"It moved with me," one gushed.

The actions performed by the gap-jawed video stars also tie in with previous rumours suggesting that intuitive tilting gestures would play an important role in commanding the phone's user interface.

The kind folks who agreed to be part of the video called the experience "flawless and seamless," although we probably shouldn't read too much into that.

You can go too!

At the end of the clip and on Twitter, Amazon pointed viewers to a web form to request an invite to the Seattle event. In other words, the fledgeling flying drone maker is extending the invite to everyday customers as well as journalists and developers.

A smartphone launch would end at least two years of speculation regarding Amazon's entry into the smartphone hardware market.

Previous reports have suggested the phone would have a 4.7-inch display, four Kinect-like front loaded cameras capable of tracking the movements and facial features of users.

Meanwhile other whispers have raised the prospect of a high-specced device that would cost a fraction of the iPhone's price tag.

Whatever we're in for June 18, tune back to TechRadar for up-to-the-minute details.

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.