Sci-fi movies have teased us with the power and convenience of 3D interfaces for years. But Amazon’s newly launched Fire phone, exclusively on AT&T, proves that the wait for an advanced smartphone interface that harnesses the full potential of 3D is finally over. Though the Fire phone technically isn’t the first smartphone to feature 3D capabilities, its Dynamic Perspective technology is a compelling new feature powered by four front-facing infrared cameras that track the position of the user’s head in relation to the phone’s screen, even in the dark, allowing the display to seamlessly adjust what’s shown based on the viewing angle. The result is a persistent 3D viewing experience that doesn’t require special glasses or a fancy 3D display to enjoy.
Providing an immersive sense of depth is one perk of the technology, but Dynamic Perspective can also be used throughout Amazon’s proprietary Fire OS to access extra information, features and settings. Tilting the phone to left or right surfaces menu options or additional info and shortcuts. Third-party apps can also be developed with Dynamic Perspective in mind: “Peeking” in the Map app reveals Yelp location ratings in the map view, eliminating the need for extra taps or an cluttered app screen; open the stadium view in Stubhub to see 90 degrees to the left or right of a seat you’re interested in; games like Planet Puzzles might make the most compelling case for Dynamic Perspective’s unique interactive potential so far by letting players rotate and solve Cube-like puzzles in a pseudo-3D environment. The good news for consumers is the power and value of Dynamic Perspective will only expand with increased attention from developers.
Check out the Amazon Fire phone with your own eyes, and you’ll quickly understand how a potent combination of visual wow factor and forward-thinking interactions put this smartphone in a class all its own.
