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DigiTimes reports that Amazon is set to launch its own tablet device within the next few months, adding yet another iPad competitor to the mix, but one with the ability to deliver significant media integration due to its existing businesses in the music and video markets. According to the report, Amazon is trying to bring the device to market well ahead of the holiday sales rush and will be shooting for aggressive shipments of 700,000-800,000 units per month with a goal of selling four million units before the end of the year.
The timing of launch is to meet the peak sales period prior to Thanksgiving in the US and the year-end holidays in the US and Europe, the sources pointed out.
Amazon adopts processors developed by Texas Instruments, with Taiwan-based Wintek to supply touch panels, ILI Technology to supply LCD driver ICs and Quanta Computer responsible for assembly, the sources indicated.
The report specifically mentions that Amazon will integrate streaming movie services with the new tablet, although the company's new Cloud Player for music should also make it simple for tablet owners to listen to their music on the device. It is unknown what platform Amazon will use for its tablet, but most observers presume that the device will be based on Android considering Amazon's existing offerings for the platform such as its Appstore for Android.
While competitors have been slow to react to the iPad's success and even in aggregate have still been unable to dethrone Apple's tablet from its dominant market position, new tablets are now appearing on a regular basis with most of the major computer and electronics players staking out their positions. And like Amazon, other companies such as HP are doing what they can to duplicate portions of Apple's integrated iOS ecosystem by moving to cloud-based media services that will allow music and other content to be easily accessed across devices.
Top Rated Comments
Online Music store - check
Kindle books store - check
Cloud - check
The only thing missing really is the hardware and they are good to go.
They have built up the ecosystem before the device rather than other companies building the devices and slowly building the ecosystem.
It is an obvious step for Amazon.
The Kindle is a steallar reading device. Great at what it was designed to do.
I bought one about a month and a half ago for my fiancee and the screen still amazes me.
Seriously? You have no idea what people use an iPad for. Even after tons of people tell you what they use it for, do you still not have any idea?
Problems with cognitive comprehension perhaps? Maybe see a specialist that can treat this problem of not understanding what people say or explain to you? Just a thought.
This'll be the first competitor that Apple needs to worry about, I bet.
Yep, this will be big. iPad big? Doubtful. But it will be successful as long as the hardware doesn't blow.
Actually... yeah. It is one of Amazon's best selling, if not THE best selling product.
The Kindle App isn't great for reading on LED screens. Once you experience e-ink and read for 2+ hours or in sunlight then you'll understand. Plus battery life that is measured in weeks and not hours is pretty darn great as well as free wireless integration.