Amazon UK tight-mouthed about possible Kindle launch

[TadW]

This Monday's edition of The Evening Standard (London) had a review of the Amazon Kindle (Is this the last great summer for paperbacks? - Kindle, an electronic reader that stores up to 200 books, is a hit in the US and could revolutionise the way we read). Overall, a very positive article.

Here is an interesting bit of information (although revealing nothing new really ):

For now, in any case, at the moment, the Kindle is only available in America. There have been reports that Amazon. co.uk plans to launch a version of it here in the autumn (perhaps using wi-fi, rather than a phone system?) but when I asked a spokesman for the company about this, he refused to comment, monotonously repeating we dont talk about future plans.

But it seems the Kindle has now begun to acquire some of the momentum that iPods picked up over other MP3 players; just as iPods changed the way we listen, so the Kindle may, by next summer, say, be impacting on the way many of us read.

I guess we'll have to sit and wait to see what autumn is going to bring us.

[Ervserver]

could be a Kindle Kristmas in the UK

[astra]

Originally Posted by Ervserver

could be a Kindle Kristmas in the UK

[daffy4u]

Fingers crossed.

[HarryT]

I'm not going to hold my breath. It's doing a deal with a Telecoms provider that's probably the biggest sticking point - the pricing structure for data traffic in the UK is very different to that in the US.

[SeaWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not going to hold my breath. It's doing a deal with a Telecoms provider that's probably the biggest sticking point - the pricing structure for data traffic in the UK is very different to that in the US.

Not only would they need a telco deal, they'd need a different chipset for the mobile network. There's no EVDO in the UK. I think it's likely they might provide one with WiFi support instead of (or in addition to) EVDO.

[HarryT]

Yes, they'd obviously need to replace the CDMA module with a GSM one (I imagine they'd use GPRS in the UK), but I suspect that's a minor change.

WiFi would rather negate the "point" of Whispernet - that it's available no matter where you are. Free WiFi hotspots are few and far between in the UK!

[SeaWolf]

Originally Posted by HarryT

WiFi would rather negate the "point" of Whispernet - that it's available no matter where you are. Free WiFi hotspots are few and far between in the UK!

I'd agree that one of the major selling points of the Kindle is that the network is (nearly) always there and always on. But if they're going to take the device international then having to negotiate separate telco deals (and hardware on different frequencies and protocols) in every country is going to be a serious hobble for it. The WiFi would be a compromise. It's not ideal, but better than having to connect to a PC and do everything there.

[LazyScot]

Originally Posted by SeaWolf

I'd agree that one of the major selling points of the Kindle is that the network is (nearly) always there and always on. But if they're going to take the device international then having to negotiate separate telco deals (and hardware on different frequencies and protocols) in every country is going to be a serious hobble for it. The WiFi would be a compromise. It's not ideal, but better than having to connect to a PC and do everything there.

I do, from time to time, travel to from the UK to mainland Europe. I'd be very nervous of what the data roaming charges could accidentally result it (okay, so I've no idea how data roaming works in the mobile world, but I'm sure I've heard of rather unpleasant bills....). Although I hope that Amazon would pick up the tab, I still think it could be a nasty cost. Using Whispernet helps them avoid the roaming issues (I think!).

Also, I guess that there are regional rights/censorship/legal issues that will allow some books/newspapers/magazines to be sold in some countries and not in others -- how that is solved with true roaming I have no idea.

[SeaWolf]

Originally Posted by LazyScot

Also, I guess that there are regional rights/censorship/legal issues that will allow some books/newspapers/magazines to be sold in some countries and not in others -- how that is solved with true roaming I have no idea.

My guess is that (assuming Amazon ever take the Kindle international) that it'll be like iTunes. You'll have regional stores, probably based around where Amazon already has a presence. Although I do think that some of the eBook stores will sell internationally, I think it's more likely that Amazon will follow the iTunes model.

On the other hand, they may decide that the US market is big enough, or that negotiating with all these different telcos is too much hassle and never bother trying to sell the Kindle internationally.