Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN), Apple Inc. (AAPL), Google Inc (GOOG): Let’s Talk About 3D Baby

What would not help Amazon compete with Android and iOS, not to mention Windows Phone and Blackberry, would be cheap hardware gimmicks like a hologram 3D phone. 3D phones have already been released multiple times in the US and although they have had limited success on Sprint they have not seen widespread adoption. HTC had the EVO 3D smartphone in 2011 and LG had a 3D phone launch just after that, both fell short of the 3D hype and HTC is struggling to compete against Samsung. Additionally Nintendo released a 3D mobile gaming handset to lukewarm reviews. In a smartphone market as large and competitive as we currently have, a device with the aforementioned characteristics has a far better chance of success than a one trick pony of a phone that will soon be seen as a gimmick.

Bezos has kept tight control over Amazon, running the company on razor thin margins with little regard for what some on Wall Street would like to see, so selling a smartphone at breakeven would not be unheard of. Using a modified version of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s Android OS with an Amazon App Store and user interface as Amazon does on the Kindle Fire tablets would be a good base for a Kindle Smartphone. A die hard Amazon fan base would also spur initial sales and create buzz for an Amazon smartphone. However a completely new and untested 3D technology when every prior 3D mobile handset has failed to gain widespread support is not what Amazon is about and would be a strategic error on the part of Bezos.

The article Fiery Déjà Vu originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by David Danna.

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