Amazon will finally arrive at the smartphone party this week with the launch of its first handset on Wednesday, joining its existing line-up of budget-friendly Fire tablets. One of the big questions surrounding the device has been that of how the company plans to make it available - whether by selling direct to customers via its website, or by embracing the more familiar route of sales through mobile network operators.
It seems that the latter will form at least one part of the company's distribution plans, as The Wall Street Journal reports that AT&T will offer the handset exclusively in the United States. The report does not make clear if this will be the only way to purchase the device, or if it will also be available to purchase off-contract via Amazon.com.
The Journal's report lines up with what BGR has heard about the device being an AT&T exclusive. It also appears to support an earlier BGR report in which details of a new 'Prime Data' plan for the device were revealed. Its sources believe that this plan will offer access to some of Amazon's services - such as Prime Instant Video and the new Prime Music streaming service - over AT&T's network free of charge, without eating into a user's existing data caps.
Amazon will announce its new smartphone tomorrow, so we'll hopefully find out all that we need to know about the long-awaited device then.
Source: The Wall Street Journal via BGR | image via BGR
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