“Amazon.com Inc. plans to expand its mobile platform and broaden its offering of devices beyond e-readers and the Kindle Fire tablet, analysts, developers and retail partners said ahead of results next week from the world’s largest Internet retailer,” Alistair Barr reports for Reuters. “Amazon is to introduce up to five or six tablet SKUs, or stock-keeping units, according Demos Parneros, president of U.S. Retail for Staples Inc., which sells the Fire.”
“The tablets will be different sizes, including a 10-inch model, Parneros said,” Barr reports. “Amazon is making its own tablets to help the company sell more digital goods, such as MP3s, movies, TV shows, apps and games. Physical versions of these products, such as CDs and DVDs, were a big business for Amazon, but they are now in decline.”
Barr reports, “Having its own devices sitting atop a software platform that offers digital content to more than 100 million, credit-card-wielding customers already programmed to buy, could help Amazon become a major mobile platform player, challenging Apple Inc., Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Facebook Inc. ‘You’re seeing the Apple play book recreated by everyone else who wants to play in the mobile device ecosystem. Amazon is the latest entrant,’ said Niccolo de Masi, chief executive of Glu Mobile Inc., which develops mobile games for the Fire.”
“Since the Fire came out in September, Amazon’s share of the video market has climbed to 13 percent from 10 percent, according to The NDP Group. In music downloads, Amazon’s share rose by one percentage point to 14.4 percent, NPD data show,” Barr reports. “Recent job postings by Amazon’s Lab126 research and design center in Silicon Valley suggest the company is working on new mobile devices that will run on wireless carrier networks. Gregg Zehr, a former hardware developer from Apple and Palm, heads Lab126, which is based a short drive from Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California… Lab126 had just over 500 employees listed on the LinkedIn (LNKD.N) professional network in September, when Amazon launched the Fire… Ed Liljegren, a hardware developer from Apple and Nokia, joined Lab126 in May 2011 and became a manager of Emerging Technology in April, according to his LinkedIn profile.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Because nothing says “quality user experience” more than a pretend iPad from an online retailer running an OS from a search engine/online advertising firm.
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Losing money on a tiny screen clunky color ereader wasn’t good enough for them?
If sales and profit was impressive why have they not announced them and bragged about them?
What’s with the chief executive using “Apple play book?” She must be a one person company.
Epic Fail
I am a huge Apple fan and have a Mac mini, Macbook, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. I use Netflix a lot. I also shop and order from Amazon and I am a prime member. My blurry player has the Amazon video player and I am constantly disappointed each time I use the interface as it is HORRIBLE. I have only used it a few times because it is so bad. Amazon can “do” all of the things that Apple does, but it doesn’t mean they will do them well. And for that reason may not be successful.
Alright! Another tablet for the public to yawn at!
Right. Amazon pulled a FAIL with their 7″ tablet. So let’s directly compete with Apple by pushing out another loss leader in the 10″ size. Apparently, Amazon like burning money as much as Microsoft. Not a good sign there Amazon.
And now Apple is making a SMALLER iPad to compete with the smaller size tablets. Copy much? I love Apple stuff but come and get real people. Amazon is doing just fine.
I personally have been on a rant streak claiming the ‘iPad Mini’ to be nothing more than the stupidest Apple rumor of the years. THAT’S getting real. Amazon are BUYING MARKETSHARE, obviously. It’s an old Microsoft trick. Not good. Not good at all.