There are few companies in business today more feared than e-commerce dynamo Amazon.com (AMZN +3.42%).
Amazon.com has continuously eyed the mobile market as a potential growth driver in the past several years, even as more prominent players like Apple (AAPL +1.96%) still attract the bulk of sales for both smartphones and tablets.
However, in the weeks ahead, Amazon.com is expected to once again address Apple head-on with the introduction of its long-awaited smartphone.
But can Amazon actually beat Apple
Amazon.com's efforts to crack the mass market for more advanced (read, non e-reader) technologies have born little fruit to date.
Amazon.com's Kindle Fire series of tablets haven't gotten the kind of traction it had originally hoped. For example, in the first quarter of this year, the Kindle Fire ecosystem saw its shipments fall 47% year over year, and only tally $1 million in total sales. Contrast Amazon.com's weak shipments data to Apple's 16.4 million iPads in the same period.
However in its quest against Apple, it also appears Amazon.com has a trick or two up its sleeve. The promotional material Amazon.com sent out surrounding the event touts some kind of major innovation, which is likely to be an advanced 3D screen.
So, how would this stack up against Apple's uber-popular iPhone? In the video below, tech and telecom specialist Andrew Tonner looks at the news in greater detail.
