Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos plans to unveil the new device on June 18 at an event in Seattle, and anyone can request an invite, the company tweeted Wednesday (June 4). The tweet included an image of a thick, black device with "Amazon" emblazoned in silver lettering.
Uses for the 3D technology could include displaying maps or viewing home-screen images in 3D. Each phone app might change based on the viewer's perspective, and the device may also enable users to operate the phone or navigate apps by tilting the phone, according toThe Verge.
If the rumors are true, the device will be the first smartphone with a 3D display. It's also Amazon's first foray into the smartphone world, following on the recent success of its line of "Kindle Fire" tablets and e-readers.
Some smartphones already include 3D cameras, but they're for taking video, rather than displaying the actual screen in 3D.
3D displays have been around for some time on other devices. For example, 3D TVs exist— some require special glasses and some don't. Researchers are also developing inventive 3D displays on fog, and others are adapting them for hospital operating rooms.
Amazon has built up a lot of hype about the mystery device, but whether it will live up to that hype in every dimension remains to be seen.
Source: livescience.com By Tanya Lewis