Amazon chief says 'stay tuned' on possible tablet
updated 02:05 pm EDT, Thu May 12, 2011
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos hints at tablet coming
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in an interview later on Wednesday effectively confirmed plans for an Amazon-branded tablet. When asked, he used cautious language and said customers should "stay tuned" on what Amazon would do. He explained to Consumer Reports that the company would be "mindful" of keeping devices like the Kindle but couldn't confirm or deny what was coming down the pipeline.
"In terms of any other product introductions, I shouldn't answer," Bezos said.
Recent leaks have had a tablet well into development with Quanta as the contract manufacturer producing the hardware for a second-half 2011 release. It may have been designed by Samsung with Amazon mostly providing feedback and the software side. Android would be a virtual certainty given Amazon's exclusive apps, such as Amazon MP3 and the Amazon Appstore.
The entry into tablets would be a self-contradiction for Amazon, which has more than once jabbed the iPad its relatively unsuitability to reading. Without a major improvement in touchscreen anti-glare technology or color e-paper, Amazon would be introducing the same issues. Amazon has also usually tried to portray itself as focused on books.
Circumstances may have forced Amazon's hand. Although the Kindle app is often more popular than Apple's own iBooks on the iPad, Amazon has been missing out on some device sales as more start reading on iPads. Barnes & Noble has also been thriving with the Nook Color and left Amazon without a real option for color magazines and newspapers.
TAGS :
Amazon, industry, gadgets, digital imaging, Android, Samsung, Quanta, Kindle, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Nook, iPad, Amazon Appstore
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Oct 2004
that and just being forced off iOS
Apple's rules - at least so far, are going to ban apps like the Kindle - yes Apple has a long history of making exceptions to its rules.
But without speculating on unknown events, in a few short weeks, the Kindle App - per the rules, would be forced off the iOS platform.
The other thing is - this just makes a lot of sense - this could be a billion dollar business for Amazon. So there is little doubt left they are going this direction.
Steve Jobs said people don't read any more - and then he claimed he'd reinvent publishing - all marketing nonsense, the same as Amazon being focused on reading. They have their own App store - so c'mon - they are 'focused' on a lot of things.