Kindle is Amazon's best consumer brand. I don't know why they made a Fire phone. They should have made a Kindle phone, and positioned it as the phone for "Readers".
Positioning matters the most, of course, but I think they could have actually put in some features designed specifically for reading on a smaller screen:
1) scroll wheel that you can use with your thumb to easily flip or scroll through windows of content, with precision. Sort of like the scroll button on a mouse, but on the side of the phone, positioned so you can use your thumb on it, while the phone is held one-handed.
2) Maybe an e-ink screen and an insane battery life. Might suck for videos, but it would definitely be a differentiator and might attract people that love to read on their phones.
3) Cut down on the apps and other features. Go the opposite direction from other phone makers and make a very basic phone. I'm talking about just phone calls, calendar, calculator, browser, email, text, camera. Nothing else. And in exchange for that, the consumer gets a very cheap phone, and insane battery life.
I think some people would like that. I would. I have enough devices to do my media consumption on. I would love to have a phone that last 2-3 days on one charge again ... like my old Nokia used to. I love how my Kindle reader lasts the whole month. I don't expect that out of a phone ... but if you gave me a week long battery, and an e-ink reader built into that ... you have me as a customer. I'll watch my Youtube and Facebook when I get home.
I might be too old to be relevant. But I'm sure there are a few snowflakes like me around.