One of the least successful smartphones in history is... probably not getting a sequel anytime soon. | Image by PhoneArena
Not many people remember this in 2026 (and not many people want to remember it), but in addition to tablets, e-book readers, smart speakers, wireless earbuds, digital media players, and home security cameras, Amazon once tried its hand at manufacturing Android-based smartphones.
There was only one Fire Phone generation released all the way back in 2014, and while its failure to connect with mainstream audiences was certainly spectacular enough for the e-commerce giant to ever think of reviving that name, wild rumors of a sequel... of sorts emerged out of nowhere a couple of months ago.
As unlikely as that story sounded (to me, at least), it apparently caught the attention of Panos Panay, Amazon's Devices & Services division head, who chose to tackle the speculation in an unexpectedly clumsy and confusing way.
A Fire Phone 2 is definitely not happening, but...
Something is afoot. Otherwise, Panay would have come out and adamantly debunked all gossip, especially in an extensive, in-depth interview where he clearly wants to focus on other topics (like AI and... AI), as well as avoid dealing with "traumatic" episodes from his years of leading Microsoft's Windows and Devices business.
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That's right, this is the guy who brought you the Surface Duo (ouch!) in 2019, but also the original Microsoft Surface tablet in 2012... and a bunch of very successful sequels in the following years before moving to Amazon in 2023.
I don’t think the phone form factor is going away anytime soon. I’ve said that publicly. I keep saying it. I always get asked, ‘so the phone’s gone, right?’ Absolutely not. The phone’s not going anywhere. However, I think the phone is going through some transformation, and will continue to do so over the next 10 years, for sure.
Panos Panay, May 13, 2026
If there's someone bold enough to ever try a Fire Phone reboot of some sort, that's probably Panos Panay, but at least for the time being, "there's no clear path that makes sense" for Amazon in the Apple-dominated market. Will such a "path" become "clearer" in the future? That's... not clear yet, but Panay sure seems to suggest his company might be interested in the ongoing "transformation" of the "phone form factor."
Wait, what?
I know, I'm just as puzzled as you are by this (non) denial of the recent Fire Phone revival rumors, and believe it or not, I haven't even reached the most confusing part of Panos Panay's interview.
Asked directly if Amazon plans to "come forward with" a phone soon and whether or not that hypothetical device could ever get people to "sacrifice" their iPhones, the e-commerce giant's hardware skipper tries his best to essentially dodge the question, calling it "tricky" and saying that his current company is "not necessarily" going after a phone.
Do you think Amazon could ever compete in the smartphone market?
Panay goes on to add that if he "black and white" answered no to that question, he "would say that was accurate", but he also thinks that "it's misleading." And that, my dear friends and readers, is how you can use dozens of words without actually saying anything.
Let's try to make some sense of these statements
Look, I don't want to be too hard on Panos Panay because I realize it can indeed be "tricky" to answer clear and direct questions when... you don't want to, you're not allowed to, or whatever you might be working on is still in the early stages of development.
If there's ever a Fire Phone sequel of sorts, it will definitely not look anything like the first edition. | Image by Amazon
And while I'm obviously speculating here with zero inside knowledge, I believe Amazon is at least exploring some type of futuristic device derived from "traditional" phones and meant to complement existing mobile products if not actually replace them. Kind of how Surface products borrowed some of their capabilities from conventional laptops and tablets ahead of them to push their versatility to the next level.
Of course, both the "when" and the "how" elements of this potential Amazon project are likely to be kept under wraps for a while longer, but what I can tell you for sure is that the company will never follow the failed Fire Phone with another boring slab that doesn't bring anything new or revolutionary to the table.
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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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