There’s a rumor going around that Amazon and Foxconn are creating an Amazon smartphone that would compete with Apple’s iPhone, and the horde of Android smartphones in the market.

So what could the Amazon smartphone have over the iPhones and the Androids of today?  Well, Amazon hasn’t really confirmed this rumor so they haven’t unveiled what their smartphone would feature.

But as a consumer, what do you want to see in Amazon’s smartphone?

Design

I’m such a clutz that I often drop my phone – sometimes on the ground, sometimes it takes a dive in the sink.  So it would be great if they created a sleek-looking smartphone that’s water and shock-proof.  Most “-proof” devices look ugly, like they’re built for the rugged terrains.  So it would be pretty cool to have a sleek but “damage -proof” phone.

Built-in card reader

Near Field Communication seems to be the “must-have” feature these days even though not everyone really knows what NFC is for.  It can be used for cardless/cashless transactions, to get or receive information, and a lot of things that only requires a device to be tapped to a receiver.  But what if Amazon creates a smartphone with a built-in card reader?  It can be quite useful for merchants who don’t have a card-reader dongle to attach to their mobile phones or those who just doesn’t want to embrace the NFC technology.

This would boost Amazon’s goals for building an ecosystem around its mobile devices, which has already proven successful with the Kindle Fire.  Better integrating physical venue locations gives Amazon another boost in retail, and extends even more business solutions to merchants.

Neutrally open

I know some people who’d love to buy an non-Apple device but they like iOS so much that they tend to stick to it.  What if the Amazon smartphone is able to run any mobile OS?  That would allow users to take advantage of apps and features of iOS, Android and even Windows Phone.  It’s a strategy Microsoft and RIM are both considering, and it could put Amazon in a uniquely beneficial position to attract developers.

It would also close the loop in a manner similar to some third party platforms we’ve seen enabling an opposing OS experience on an Android or Windows device, be it a PC, tablet or smartphone.  We’ll only continue to see the gap narrowed across devices through third parties, but Amazon could be among the first major device maker to offer a built-in capability for doing so.

Enterprise-grade security

The Kindle Fire has been one of the most accessible tablets in the world, helping the Android ecosystem finally make its mark in the tablet sector.  And as tablets only continue to grow in prominence, security is all the more important for mobile devices and the many places they traverse.  We’re already seeing a booming BYOD trend develop in the workplace, but security remains an issue.  Addressing this head-on would put Amazon in a good position to attract enterprise users that want to have a harmonious existence between the office and the mobile device.

Amazon will have to provide its own layer of security if their smartphone is to be considered by the enterprise, as the default Android OS still leaves vulnerabilities open for malware and unencrypted information to leak between a company’s network and a mobile device.  Amazon’s done well to skin its Android-powered tablet into something that’s truly branded for the retailer, and while Amazon’s been consumer-centric with its hardware in the past, heightened security would make it all the more attractive to businesses as well.