Amazon Develops AI Smartphone Codenamed Transformer

Amazon is developing a new artificial intelligence-focused smartphone more than a decade after the commercial failure of its first mobile device, the Fire Phone, according to sources familiar with the matter. The project, internally codenamed Transformer, is being led within the company's Devices and Services division and aims to serve as a personalized mobile hub deeply integrated with Amazon's Alexa virtual assistant.

The device is designed to streamline interactions with Amazon's ecosystem, including shopping, Prime Video streaming, Prime Music playback, and partnerships such as food delivery with Grubhub. Sources described it as prioritizing voice-driven and AI-based commands over traditional app downloads, potentially eliminating the need for a conventional app store. This approach would allow users to manage tasks conversationally, syncing seamlessly with Alexa-enabled smart home devices for a unified experience across mobile and household use.

Development is overseen by an internal team known as ZeroOne, headed by J Allard, a former Microsoft executive who contributed to the Xbox and Zune projects. The initiative reflects founder Jeff Bezos's earlier vision of a...