Amazon plans smartphone comeback more than a decade after Fire Phone flop

The tech giant is developing a new personalized mobile device to sync with Alexa and boost Amazon sales.

Mar. 20, 2026 at 10:03am by Ben Kaplan

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Amazon is working on a new smartphone project, codenamed "Transformer," that aims to integrate tightly with the company's Alexa voice assistant and drive more sales through Amazon's online marketplace. The effort is the latest chapter in Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' long-held vision of a ubiquitous voice-driven computing assistant. The new phone is being developed within Amazon's devices and services unit and is seen as a potential mobile personalization device that can sync with Alexa and serve as a conduit to Amazon customers throughout the day.

Why it matters

Amazon's previous smartphone effort, the Fire Phone, was a high-profile flop that was discontinued after just 14 months on the market in 2014. The new Transformer project represents Amazon's latest attempt to gain a foothold in the smartphone market and leverage its Alexa voice assistant and e-commerce platform to drive more sales and data collection from mobile users.

The details

The Transformer project is being led by a new group within Amazon's devices unit called ZeroOne, whose mandate is to create "breakthrough" gadgets. The phone is envisioned to make buying from Amazon.com, watching Prime Video, listening to Prime Music or ordering food from partners like Grubhub easier than ever by deeply integrating Alexa and AI capabilities. However, the timeline for the project is unclear and it could still be scrapped if the strategy shifts or due to financial concerns.

  • In 2014, Amazon introduced its first smartphone, the Fire Phone, which was scrapped in barely over a year.
  • The Transformer project is the newest chapter in a years-long effort by Amazon to bring founder Jeff Bezos' vision of a ubiquitous voice-driven computing assistant to market.

The players

Jeff Bezos

The founder of Amazon who directly oversaw the development of the failed Fire Phone in 2014.

J Allard

A former Microsoft executive who is leading the ZeroOne group within Amazon's devices unit, which is responsible for the Transformer smartphone project.

Panos Panay

The head of Amazon's devices and services unit, who has been working to reverse years of unprofitability in the division.

Alexa

Amazon's voice assistant that is expected to be a core feature of the new Transformer smartphone.

ZeroOne

A year-old group within Amazon's devices unit that has been tasked with creating "breakthrough" gadgets, including the Transformer smartphone.

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What they’re saying

“Amazon will have to give consumers a compelling reason to switch phones and people are pretty attached to the existing app stores.”

— Colin Sebastian, Analyst, R.W. Baird

What’s next

The timeline for Amazon's Transformer project is unclear, and the people familiar with the matter cautioned it could be scrapped if the strategy shifts or due to financial concerns.

The takeaway

Amazon's new smartphone effort, codenamed Transformer, represents the company's latest attempt to gain a foothold in the mobile market and leverage its Alexa voice assistant and e-commerce platform to drive more sales and data collection from users. However, the company faces an uphill battle against dominant players like Apple and Samsung, and must give consumers a compelling reason to switch from existing smartphones.