Amazon has had incredible success over the years with their Kindle line of e-readers and most recently the debut of the Kindle Fire, a tablet which has carved a rather strong presence in the 7 inch tablet market. Some new products are due and it appears that they will likely be getting some upgrades according to a source from Reuters.
Amazon.com Inc will launch new versions of its Kindle e-reader and tablet, including a monochrome e-reader with front lighting, a source who has seen the prototype told Reuters.
Amazon also plans to launch a new tablet closer to the holiday season later this year, the source said. The new Kindle Fire is expected to have a bigger diagonal display of 8.9 inches, bringing it closer in size to Apple Inc’s iPad. The company did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment.
Neither of these upgrades are really too surprising. One of the big selling features with the Barnes and Noble Nook Simple Touch is the front-lit display. Also, it’s been rumored for some time that Amazon is going to be making a larger version of the Kindle Fire, as they have with the Kindle regarding offering different sizes.
Amazon will launch the new Kindle e-reader in the touch 3G and touch wi-fi versions, the source said. “They can afford to add a front light because the component is not very expensive and their display otherwise uses very little energy,” said Colegrove. An increase of about $10 above the current prices should be “quite reasonable,” she said. The source said Amazon was likely to keep prices the same, or raise them by a very small margin, if at all.
The online based e-commerce company has a lot of room for growth. The Kindle Fire did outstandingly well and if they can replicate that same success with a larger tablet, it’s hard telling how many they could sell. And for those who just an e-reader, a small $10 increase isn’t going to break the bank.