AT&T to be exclusive carrier for Amazon smartphone - WSJ

Reuters
The AT&T logo is pictured by its store in Carlsbad, California, April 22, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Blake/Files

(Reuters) - AT&T Inc will exclusively carry Amazon.com Inc's long-rumored smartphone that is expected to be launched on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the plans. (http://r.reuters.com/gav22w) Amazon.com revived speculation about its next major product earlier this month, using a mysterious YouTube video and website post to announce a June 18 "launch event" in Seattle to be hosted by Chief Executive Jeff Bezos. The Journal and several tech blogs have reported that the internet retailer may be working on a phone with a three-dimensional display. Rumors of an Amazon-designed smartphone have circulated for years, though executives have played down ambitions to leap into a heavily competitive and increasingly saturated market dominated by Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. AT&T was the exclusive partner of Apple Inc when it launched the iPhone in 2007. AT&T declined to comment, while Amazon could not be reached immediately. Shares of both companies were little changed in premarket trading on Tuesday. (Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Bangalore; Editing by Ted Kerr and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)