Is the New Fire Phone an Android Phone or Not? | Re/code

On a related note, see With Debut of Nokia X2, Microsoft Extends Its Android Bet (Re/code)

"The answer is: Both and neither. All of Amazon’s Fire devices use the open source version of Google’s Android operating system, which doesn’t include Google’s standard suite of apps or its Google Play app store. For Amazon, Android is essentially plumbing, not the face of the device. To provide the look, feel and navigation, Amazon has its own operating system, called the Fire OS. It also has its own app store, browser, email program and now, on the new phone, non-Google maps. The best way to think about it is that the Fire phone and tablets aren’t standard Android devices, and typically use third-party apps specially modified for them and curated by Amazon."

Is the New Fire Phone an Android Phone or Not? | Re/code