Report: Microsoft, Amazon Delay Plans for Smartphones

Without offering much in the detail department, Jefferies analyst Peter Misek said that both Amazon and Microsoft have delayed their plans for releasing smartphones. Both companies were expected to launch branded smartphones, aka Kindle and Surface, during the middle of 2013.

In December, reports emerged that Amazon already placed an order with Foxconn for 5 million units which will cost between $100 and $200 each. Sources also claimed that Foxconn will be working with touch panel makers Japan Display and Young Fast Optoelectronics to supply parts for the Kindle smartphone.

As for the Surface phone, Foxconn was reportedly handling that device too for a mid-2013 launch. Using the Surface brand, it will reportedly use the latest release of Windows Phone 8 beyond the upcoming v8.1 (or Apollo Plus) update. Originally the phone was slated to launch by the end of 1Q13 or the beginning of 2Q13 so that it wouldn't compete with Windows Phone 8 launch devices at the end of 2012.

But now according to Peter Misek, we may not see either branded phone in mid-2013. "Our checks indicate that Amazon’s phone seems to have been delayed," he said. "Also the launch of the Surface phone from Microsoft has been pushed out."

Microsoft admitted earlier this week that the company was just getting started with the Surface brand. To date Microsoft has released the ARM-based Surface RT tablet featuring Windows RT, and the pricier x86-based Surface Pro with Windows 8 Pro. The former tablet is meant for the grab-and-go crowd while the latter is more for professionals and customers needing a mobile desktop experience.

The comment about "just getting started" seemingly paved the way for more Surface-branded form factors like a laptop or even a smartphone. The latter is believed to be the company's first Surface venture outside the tablet sector to put Microsoft in a better position to tackle Apple's iPhone 5 and beyond.

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  • reprotected
    Apple must have sued them with the corrupted patent system the US has, thus delaying the release of these phones. This crucial information was left out due to the spreading censorship of the press, most likely due to Kevin being bribed to writing this article, making Microsoft and Amazon look slow in delivering new innovative products, when in fact Apple was the cause of all this. The legal system must be fixed! APPLE MUST DIE.
    Reply
  • esrever
    oh noooo
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    reprotectedApple must have sued them with the corrupted patent system the US has, thus delaying the release of these phones.Apple and M$ have an IP sharing agreement that has been in place for years. When the iPod was first released, M$ patented the control arrangement because Apple was late in getting their application in. Apple said it wasn't a problem because of their prior agreements.
    Reply
  • loomis86
    reprotectedApple must have sued them with the corrupted patent system the US has, thus delaying the release of these phones. This crucial information was left out due to the spreading censorship of the press, most likely due to Kevin being bribed to writing this article, making Microsoft and Amazon look slow in delivering new innovative products, when in fact Apple was the cause of all this. The legal system must be fixed! APPLE MUST DIE.

    I would say MS has backed away from a surface phone because they are getting smarter. the MS surface is not a cool device. It is a kick in the face to every OEM computer manufacturer that builds machines with windows installed. I think they figured this out and have cancelled all other surface-like products in the works.

    The world is beginning to realize they do not need windows to survive. There are other options now. OSX, Linux, Redhat, Chrome, Ubuntu...

    not to mention Android, GNU, and Firefox could jump into the game as well. Maybe even Amazon.

    MS will not survive if they alienate their largest customer base, the OEMs.

    Personally, I'd like to see UNIX and assembler make a comeback.
    Reply
  • m32
    Good. Phones that won't sale that well are pushed back. Make'em as best as you can with the delay, and hope it isn't an money pit.
    Reply
  • JOSHSKORN
    They don't need phones. Just incorporate calling in the Surface instead of having people use Skype to call phones.
    Reply