When will Kindle 4 be introduced?

markbot · 08-20-2011, 10:41 AM

My guess is pre-Christmas. iPhone 5 is launching in September and will be taking up the headlines. November is a bit late to launch...they usually don't have sufficient volume in the first few weeks. October seems optimal.

HarryT · 08-20-2011, 11:31 AM

I confidently predict that Amazon will never sell a device which they call the "Kindle 4".

poohbear_nc · 08-20-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I confidently predict that Amazon will never sell a device which they call the "Kindle 4".

Especially since they never sold a single "Kindle 3"!

DiapDealer · 08-20-2011, 12:00 PM

What do we win if we guess right? Otherwise, I can't be bothered.

Joseph R · 08-20-2011, 12:57 PM

I do not believe that there will be a "Kindle 4". Amazon is planning on releasing an Android tablet in two different sizes: 7-inch and 10-inch for this Fall: Cnet article. This tablet will provide users with access to Amazon's Cloud Computing servers; music store, book store, android apps,.. This Amazon tablet will be "Kindle 4". Also, I believe Amazon MAY release an e-reader with E-ink Triton (colour). However, the Triton films will not be ready until next year

RainingLemur · 08-20-2011, 02:05 PM

Where's the selection for "eventually"?

markbot · 08-20-2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph R

I do not believe that there will be a "Kindle 4". Amazon is planning on releasing an Android tablet in two different sizes: 7-inch and 10-inch for this Fall: Cnet article. This tablet will provide users with access to Amazon's Cloud Computing servers; music store, book store, android apps,.. This Amazon tablet will be "Kindle 4". Also, I believe Amazon MAY release an e-reader with E-ink Triton (colour). However, the Triton films will not be ready until next year

Yeah, there is a lot of info on Amazon introducing an Android color LCD tablet. However, Amazon's e-ink Kindle line is getting old. The new Nook is superior to the Kindle 3. For example, the Nook is much easier to use since it has a touchscreen interface, is faster, has a longer battery life, has several features that the Kindle doesn't, and supports more ebook formats. I would be surprised if Amazon didn't introduce a black and white e-ink ereader that at least matches the Nook on the more important features.

DiapDealer · 08-20-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

The new Nook is superior to the Kindle 3. For example, the Nook is much easier to use since it has a touchscreen interface, is faster, has a longer battery life, has several features that the Kindle doesn't, and supports more ebook formats. I would be surprised if Amazon didn't introduce a black and white e-ink ereader that at least matches the Nook on the more important features.

We've been here before. I don't think Touch alone is enough to warrant a new generation. Without some sort of screen/contrast improvement, I just don't see it happening. They're not going to bother "matching" the new Nook... I think they'll wait until they have something that surpasses the new Nook. Either way, I think the tablet will have their focus for the coming Christmas season.

Joseph R · 08-20-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

We've been here before. I don't think Touch alone is enough to warrant a new generation. Without some sort of screen/contrast improvement, I just don't see it happening. They're not going to bother "matching" the new Nook... I think they'll wait until they have something that surpasses the new Nook. Either way, I think the tablet will have their focus for the coming Christmas season.

It may be for longer time than the coming Christmas season. it would make sense to simply "cash-in" the Kindle branding, as it is VERY successful, and to sway their loyal Kindle customers to buy more Amazon products than just e-books; become a one-stop shop. If the Cnet Article that I linked to previously is correct, Amazon will price its 7-inch tablet at 249$, which is VERY aggressive and definitely below production cost.

Obviously, Amazon seems, at least to me, to be pricing their tablets so low, that their will be no point in buying a e-reader, Kindle or other, if you can have a complete multimedia solution for 120-150 dollars more. To take a leaf out of Apple's book, in 2007, they had to price the Iphone 200$ more than the Ipod, because if the gap was too low, people would have ignored buying an Ipod and just go with the Iphone (Apple makes more profit by unit on a Ipod than Iphone).

I believe the new prices on the Kindle (99$ refurbished, KSO 114$) tells me that they WILL continue on making Kindles, as the demand is there but they will not release a new model, they simply want to introduce a nice price gap between the tablet and the Kindle. Human nature tell us that the average consumer DO NOT Buy a product based on specs and stats but by comparing an item to another based on quality/price, as shown in the store: the higher the price, the higher the quality. They can attract customers that were on the fence about buying an e-reader (Hey it is just a hundred bucks now!) and once the enjoy the experience, sway them to the Tablet with all the Cloud Computing Services, the future, in my mind and many others on digital distribution for Copyrighted works.

DiapDealer · 08-20-2011, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Obviously, Amazon seems, at least to me, to be pricing their tablets so low, that their will be no point in buying a e-reader, Kindle or other, if you can have a complete multimedia solution for 120-150 dollars more.

If that's what Amazon is thinking, they'd be making a mistake. There's a not too tiny demographic that is simply not interested (for whatever reason) in reading—for any length of time—on an LCD screen. Plus we've had the discussion quite a few times, as well, that many people are not interested in an all-in-one multimedia device that just happens to have an ereader app installed on it. There will always be a market for dedicated eInk readers, until screen technology comes up with an affordable hybrid that will satisfy both needs. So I believe there will be a continued need for improvement and upgrades to the Kindle eInk reader platform.

Joseph R · 08-20-2011, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

If that's what Amazon is thinking, they'd be making a mistake. There's a not too tiny demographic that is simply not interested (for whatever reason) in reading—for any length of time—on an LCD screen. Plus we've had the discussion quite a few times, as well, that many people are not interested in an all-in-one multimedia device that just happens to have an ereader app installed on it. There will always be a market for dedicated eInk readers, until screen technology comes up with an affordable hybrid that will satisfy both needs. So I believe there will be a continued need for improvement and upgrades to the Kindle eInk reader platform.

Good point indeed, and no, I do not want to claim to be able to read Amazon's mind; simply making a case for why they lowered prices. Yes, there is and will be a market for e-Ink readers for, at least, the near future. But I cannot help but see that Amazon swaying Kindle users to the Tablet, especially young adults, who are used to LCD screens since they were (still?) kids.

However, with the development of Cloud Computing Services, the future is more than e-books for Amazon. Also, can I speculate that Amazon, with its LCD colour screen and its unique worldwide distribution, availability and relationship with publishers, trying to create a digital College Textbook market?

DiapDealer · 08-20-2011, 07:24 PM

Quote:

But I cannot help but see that Amazon swaying Kindle users to the Tablet, especially young adults, who are used to LCD screens since they were (still?) kids.

Oh I don't disagree.

Quote:

However, with the development of Cloud Computing Services, the future is more than e-books for Amazon. Also, can I speculate that Amazon, with its LCD colour screen and its unique worldwide distribution, availability and relationship with publishers, trying to create a digital College Textbook market?

Cloud computing (oh how I hate that term, though

) has certainly got everyone all abuzz, but I'm frankly not sold on the idea that reducing the role of the internet to that of basically a switched fabric for the world's slowest Storage Area Network is in everyone's best interest. But yes, Amazon will leverage all they can from it.

JD78 · 08-20-2011, 09:29 PM

IMO (apparently I must add this before the rest of my comments

)...

Amazon is not going to abandon e-ink (if they do it would be for something similar, but I doubt they would go exclusively to LCD screens for e-readers). We will probably see new e-ink Kindles along with the rumored tablets. If Amazon does add a touch Kindle, I would be very surprised if they don't overhaul the UI to be touch friendly. The current UI is made for the 4-point navigation, and IMO would not work as well and would be a waste with touch tech. So, I would be more excited about the possible UI enhancements a touch screen could bring us.

Barty · 08-20-2011, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Especially since they never sold a single "Kindle 3"!

What exactly has Amazon been calling it? The Ereader Informally Known as Kindle 3?

JD78 · 08-20-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barty

What exactly has Amazon been calling it? The Ereader Informally Known as Kindle 3?

Either "Latest Generation Kindle" or just "Kindle (Latest Generation)"

View Poll Results: When will Kindle 4 be introduced?
September 2011	8	19.51%
October 2011	17	41.46%
November 2011	7	17.07%
December 2011	3	7.32%
2012	6	14.63%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll

08-20-2011, 10:41 AM	#1
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	When will Kindle 4 be introduced? My guess is pre-Christmas. iPhone 5 is launching in September and will be taking up the headlines. November is a bit late to launch...they usually don't have sufficient volume in the first few weeks. October seems optimal. Last edited by markbot; 08-20-2011 at 10:47 AM.

08-20-2011, 12:57 PM	#5
Joseph R Zealot Posts: 136 Karma: 2137000 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Calgary, Alberta Device: iPad, Kobo Glo HD	I do not believe that there will be a "Kindle 4". Amazon is planning on releasing an Android tablet in two different sizes: 7-inch and 10-inch for this Fall: Cnet article. This tablet will provide users with access to Amazon's Cloud Computing servers; music store, book store, android apps,.. This Amazon tablet will be "Kindle 4". Also, I believe Amazon MAY release an e-reader with E-ink Triton (colour). However, the Triton films will not be ready until next year Last edited by Joseph R; 08-20-2011 at 12:59 PM. Reason: changed URL

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08-20-2011, 11:31 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,560 Karma: 93980341 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I confidently predict that Amazon will never sell a device which they call the "Kindle 4".

08-20-2011, 12:00 PM	#4
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,880 Karma: 207000000 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	What do we win if we guess right? Otherwise, I can't be bothered.

08-20-2011, 02:05 PM	#6
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Where's the selection for "eventually"?

08-20-2011, 09:29 PM	#13
JD78 Connoisseur Posts: 55 Karma: 24160 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: None	IMO (apparently I must add this before the rest of my comments )... Amazon is not going to abandon e-ink (if they do it would be for something similar, but I doubt they would go exclusively to LCD screens for e-readers). We will probably see new e-ink Kindles along with the rumored tablets. If Amazon does add a touch Kindle, I would be very surprised if they don't overhaul the UI to be touch friendly. The current UI is made for the 4-point navigation, and IMO would not work as well and would be a waste with touch tech. So, I would be more excited about the possible UI enhancements a touch screen could bring us.