Amazon's New Fire Phone Only 99¢

Drastic price drops usually signal drastic failure. Amazon the latest to enter the smartphone market is all but an afterthought after the much hyped debut after only a few months. Initially available June 25^th this attractive and somewhat gimmicky handset just never caught on with users, not even the 3D cameras were enough to inspire the change of habit that this endeavor would require. Users are already entrenched in their die-hard ways to other major phone makers.

Now facing an onslaught of newer devices from competition and waning sales that will surely continue to fall, Amazon in an attention grabbing surprise announcement is now offering their Fire Phone for only 99 cents. That's right ONLY 99 cents!

That's great, fantastic, OK now I want one! Well, before you pull up your Amazon shopping web page, you should be aware of the following. It's only 99 cents with an 18 month or 2-year AT&T contract. AT&T’s current low price plans will then cost you $1,080 for the 18 month plan or $1,440 for the 2-year plan. Ouch, you say and so do I! Higher end plans will cost around $2000. Can you still get the phone for 99 cents without a plan? NO! Without the service plan, the 32GB Fire Phone will cost you $449 and the 64GB Fire Phone will cost you $549.

Amazon's new sales scheme is not likely to entice the masses because Samsung has already released their new line and Apple's iPhone will arrive any day now and really any Android phone on the market will definitely be a better pick, because after all the Fire OS is really a variation of the Android system.

If Amazon really thought they could, after all this time, enter this over saturated market and dominate, they were sorely mistaken and should of course know shoppers and their habits better by now.

They are just another among a slew of others that all make the same claims of excellence and really the same device. I'm not saying it's a bad device, actually it looks good, but for the cost, maybe it's still a bit too much.

One recurring complaint in the reviews about the Fire Phone is that the device gets hot with use. How much use, I don't know, but I've seen the comment more than a few times in various reviews.

Possibly one tidbit of good news is that with your purchase you get a year of Free Prime and if your already a Prime member they will extend your membership for another full year at no additional cost.

With so many options for the consumers these days I am curious to know what you prefer and what your opinions are, feel free to leave a comment below.