14 DAY TRIAL // When Amazon launched the Fire Phone, it wanted to revolutionize the smartphone industry by offering customers the chance of pick up a cool handset with 3D visuals.
Sadly, the endeavor proved to be quite futile. Despite boasting the special 3D effects, the phone's lack of Google services has probably managed to alienate most smartphone users expecting the flexibility of an Android smartphone.
On top of that, the device was only offered as an AT&T exclusive, a fact that might have very well contributed to the demise of the newborn.
AT&T is offering a Fire tablet promotion in the hopes of selling Fire Phones too
So from the get-go the Fire Phone was quite doomed to fail, something reflected in Amazon’s latest quarterly earnings report which posted an operating loss of $544 / €429 million.
How many millions out of that sum are owed to the Fire Phone failure you might wonder? A pretty huge $177 / €140 million, which is “primary related to Fire phone inventory valuation and supplier commitment costs.”
But Amazon is not willing to go down without a fight. In trying to somehow salvage the failing sales of the Fire Phone, Amazon is resorting to its champion product – the ex-Kindle tablets.
They might now be called just Fire, in an effort to homogenize the smartphone and tablet business into one, but the slates boast the same specs.
Anyway, Amazon and AT&T are bringing the (Kindle) Fire HDX 7 tablet into the picture. Note this isn’t the latest HDX tablet launched by Amazon, but last year’s model.
Nevertheless, the tablet still offers quite capable specifications. It arrives with a 7-inch display with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution (or HDX res), a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 fitted with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.
AT&T's Fire HDX 7+Fire Phone deal will not go on forever
Now, AT&T customers have a choice while the tablet is concerned. They can either get it for $199 / €157 outright or can grab the (Kindle) Fire HDX 7 for $10 a month with no contracts or $99 / €78 a month for the next two years.
But the tablet sells for only $49.99 / €39 full out if you also purchase the Fire Phone. This expense shouldn't put a big strain on your budget since the AT&T is offering the handset for only $0.99 / €0.78 with a two-year contract.
Overall, this sounds like a good deal if you’re into the whole Amazon service rooster. Be advised that this is a limited time offer, which starts today (October 24) and will continue to go on until November 20 this year.
So if you think this bundle is for you, you have to decide fast whether or not you want to jump on the Amazon Fire bandwagon.