Report: Amazon Developing Smartphone With 3-D Display

According to The Wall Street Journal, the Web retailer is actually working on two smartphones -- one of which will boast a display that can generate three-dimensional images without 3-D glasses. The report, which cites people familiar with Amazon's plans, claims the high-end smartphone will also feature retina-tracking technology that may enable users to navigate the display with their eyes.

The Journal reported the smartphones could be launched in the coming months, but the operating system on which the devices will run is not known. Amazon uses a customized version of Android for its Kindle Fire tablet series, which the company launched in 2011.

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It's also unclear which mobile carriers Amazon would partner with for its smartphones. The company currently uses AT&T for the Kindle Fire's 3G wireless service.

Amazon could not be reached for comment.

While Amazon has enjoyed success in the Android tablet space, the smartphone market could be a different story for the retail giant -- especially in the commercial market. While the bring-your-own-device BYOD trend has helped a variety of smartphones into the enterprise, mobile security and data protection are top priorities for corporations.

Rick Jordan, director of sales and strategic alliances at Tenet Computer Group in Toronto, thinks Amazon will have an uphill battle in the hyper-competitive smartphone market, especially if there are concerns about the security of its devices.

"This is a very convoluted space, to say the least, with companies jockeying for first, second and third spots," he said. "The biggest question is not so much about having a high-end smartphone but how the data being secured."

PUBLISHED ON MAY 10, 2013