Quote:
Originally Posted by Crowl
Now obviously it isn't their only option and closer partnerships with other hardware makers is just as possible, but declaring there is no chance of them going down the route of their own hardware is fairly ridiculous at this point.
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I didn't say there is no chance.
I said it is highly unlikely they'll do a Kindle-branded multifunction device any time soon.
(Which works out about the same but leaves a bit of room for some magical new tech to appear.)
If Amazon were a CE manufacturer like Sony or a hardware vendor like Pocketbook they would be remiss if they didn't look into a mediapad device to exploit their brand name. But they're not.
They're a content retailer and a very efficient one that wastes no effort on anything. They got into the Kindle business to promote ebook sales and carve out as big a market as they could for their proprietary format (at a time when only proprietary formats were in use). They were seeding the market. And building up a brand name to the point that some people see an ebook reader and instantly assume its a Kindle, as if no other competitor exist. That is a very effective brand association to be messing with, tying it into devices that aren't readers (even if you can read on them).
In the tablet space there is no shortage of players. Any Amazon product would perforce be a "me-too" product whose only distinction would be a preinstalled Kindle reader app. Well, Velocity Micro is already shipping a tablet with Kindle reader app pre-installed.
http://www.amazon.com/Velocity-T301-.../dp/B004CFF6ZI
Others may follow.
Now, what is more efficient? Paid placement to get a few high-profile tablet (as well as cell-phone and laptop) vendors to pre-install your app or going into the hardware business to seed a market that is already well-seeded with compatible devices?
There is little added gain for Amazon from getting into the tablet *reader* business and it's just not a very efficient way to address the multifunction reading market as, right now, all the non-Apple Tablet makers are allies, not competitors. And even Apple may find itself persuaded to relent on its expulsion plans.
I submit that Amazon will not get into the tablet *hardware* business until they know for a fact that their piggyback strategy is not working. Which they would know since using their Android app requires connecting it to a user account so they know exactly how many people have K4A installed. So their most likely approach is to help the Android tablet category grow with a curated app store, which is what they're doing, and getting Android tablet vendors to carry *their* market app. And then promoting the heck out of K4A that way. Way more efficient.
And, anyway, since such a hypothetical device would *not* be primarily a reading device I submit it would *not* be branded as a Kindle even if Amazon does deliver one. (Kindles are outdoor readable. Says the pretty girl in the commercial.
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As for their video business, getting on Roku-class STBs and on connected TVs is more critical than going for the personal video space. More to gain, less effort.