Ahead of the expected unveiling of its first smartphone next week, Amazon has sent to reporters an invitation from CEO Jeff Bezos with a hint of what’s to come in the form of a children’s book titled “Mr. Pine’s Purple House.”
The story involves a central character, a mustachioed Mr. Pine, who is looking for a way to make his house different from the 49 other white houses lining Pine Street. After numerous attempts to create a singular look — planting a tree, then a bush — he settles on something truly distinctive: Painting the house purple.
Mr. Pine’s saga likely alludes to Amazon’s new smartphone joining a crowded marketplace, dominated by Apple and Samsung — and presumably how the Seattle online retail giant’s device will differentiate itself.
The smartphone is expected to use Google’s Android operating system at its core — though employing Amazon’s heavily customized Fire interface also found on its tablets.
Amazon will likely make use of a number of front-facing cameras to provide a different sort of interactive user experience.
