Amazon is working on a smartphone to be released in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a Citigroup analyst quoted by All Things D.
Amazon officials did not respond to a request to comment.
Citigroup researcher Mark Mahaney wrote: “Based on our supply chain channel checks in Asia … we believe an Amazon Smartphone will be launched in 4Q12.”
The note added that Citigroup believes the Amazon smartphone will run the Texas Instrument OMAP 4 processor and is likely to have a dual-mode radio from Qualcomm.
Citigroup even suggested the device would cost US$150 to US$170 to build, and might be sold for about that amount. Amazon is selling the Kindle Fire tablet at US$199, which is US$10 less than one research firm determined was the US$210 cost of building the device. The Kindle Fire runs an Amazon-customized version of Android 2.3, and Citigroup suggests the phone would also run Android.