With an Amazon Smartphone, the Retailer Seeks a Tether to Consumers - NYTimes.com

A big bet for Amazon

"Now Amazon is giving this brutal business a shot. On the one hand, analysts say, it has no choice. On the other, the rewards could be tremendous.

“Mobile is asserting not just its utility but its supremacy,” said James McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester Research. “If you’re Amazon, you’re worried you’re going to be cut out of the next big interface. So you jump in and make yourself relevant, whether your customer is in the bathroom, the kitchen or the car. You go for broke.”"

With an Amazon Smartphone, the Retailer Seeks a Tether to Consumers - NYTimes.com