Amazon's new Fire Phone must fix its app store problem

Amazon is reportedly developing a new smartphone, internally called "Transformer," a device that immediately invites comparison with the ill-fated 2014 Fire Phone, which ended up in a fire sale about a year after its launch. The critical stumbling block then—and the one that could sink a new effort—is the app ecosystem.

The decision to forego Google Play services left the original device dependent on the Amazon AppStore, which the author describes as a wasteland of half-supported or unsupported apps. Finance, home-control and communication apps were frequently absent or stale; only productivity apps (largely powered by Microsoft) and streaming services remained up to date.

Because a phone is “another animal entirely,” getting the platform experience right is essential. Panos Panay, the Senior Vice President of Devices and Services, is familiar with the consequences of a weak app ecosystem, and the author expresses hope that his experience in design and product development will help steer the project in the right direction.

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