Apple... Potential Kindle Killer?

[kamm]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think that's a little unfair on Amazon. I'm sure they'd like nothing better than to be able to release the Kindle in Europe. Unfortunately, the "legal issue" of trying to arange "Whispernet" deals with the multitude of different European telecoms providers, different legal frameworks, etc, is a problem of nightmarish proportions which is taking them years to try and resolve. Not to mention trying to get the legal right to sell their books in Europe, when many books have US-only distribution rights, and so on.

I think this is mostly a smoke & mirror BS from Amazon - it's nothing but Amazon's decision, I believe: compare Amazon DE, FR and UK prices and you got the picture why Amazon keeps spreading this...
It would take next to nothing to arrange a global EU deal with, say, T-Mobile or Vodafone, I bet (both are present as providers in all EU countries and both are worldwide, global players and you got the euro as official currency) they can maintain higher profits this way plus European DRM laws are less insane (well, sans some countries like Germany) than ours here.

[kamm]

Originally Posted by cheese bogart

Do you truly believe that a company the size of Amazon couldn't get these issues easily sorted? I'm sure there are plenty of phone companies that would have done deals with them.

Also the thing about the US-only distribution rights is an easy one to sort. Don't put them on sell on the other Amazon sites. Also what stops me from buying a K2 using my mums address in Florida and then downloading these region-only books whilst I'm in another country?

Originally Posted by Ankh

Well, well, well... a slot for GSM card, pushing the choice of provider to user (GSM phones do have access to Internet, don't they?) would do it for Europeans and the rest of the world.

It is Amazon that is insisting on "deals" with phone companies.

Originally Posted by taosaur

Well, in the US you pay by the kB unless you get a monthly plan, which basically will be 5MB or "unlimited" (5GB), after which there are some "tethering/aircard" plans that cost more and, I believe, also charge you beyond the 5GB mark. Cellphone companies in the US are trying to market their products as mobile broadband for laptops now. What's the deal in Europe, is there a substantial WiFi blanket, or just no plans for cell-based "broadband?"

BINGO.

There are plenty of flat-rate deals in Europe as well and just like in the US, Amazon could just cut a deal on its own, thanks to its sheer market size - these are nonsensical explanations, I fully agree with all of you who do not believe Amazon's pathetic excuses.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by kamm

BINGO.

There are plenty of flat-rate deals in Europe as well and just like in the US, Amazon could just cut a deal on its own, thanks to its sheer market size - these are nonsensical explanations, I fully agree with all of you who do not believe Amazon's pathetic excuses.

Why would they make "excuses"? Amazon's number one priority is making money. Releasing the Kindle in Europe would be a hugely profitable exercise - what reason would they have for not doing so if they could do?

[Tuna]

Trust me, I've worked with the mobile companies in Europe and it's a nightmare. They may share the same name across Europe (Vodafone etc.), but each country still effectively has different operators, with different equipment, different local laws and different service contracts. If I take a Vodafone mobile across from England to France, I pay a complex roaming charge and my calls can be handled by a random carrier.

Add in different local laws for copyright, business service, postal service, web shops, taxation etc., and a few different local currencies and you might appreciate why even Amazon find it different to treat Europe as 'one place'.

[kship41]

Originally Posted by SalvaG

There are good alternatives to 6" e-readers, though Kindle is aesthetically one step higher, and some people prefer it.
But, for instance, now the only alternative to 10" ereaders is dr1000s. Here in Spain, it costs 700€ (980$). Kindle DX costs $489.00, so as soon as it is released, many people will use services like myus.com to buy one. So I think price is the first reason.

European countries def have a significant mark-up on Kindle, Apple, and other electronics. The new mac-mini for example is like $600 more in NZ. People are becoming very savvy about using international forwarding companies like <a href="http://www.bongous.com">BongoUS</a> to buy. The savings can be tremendous even with shipping costs and taxes tacked on.

[fugazied]

There are plenty of rumors about it, ever since the ipod came out fans of apple were calling out for a tablet.

One rumor said that Apple ordered a bunch of 9.5" touchscreens a couple of months ago. If that was in fact true then a tablet will be on it's way. If you combine color touchscreen with the app store it would be an incredible device.

The only thing that might stop it are price point (what can apple charge) and battery life (a huge screen like that what kind of battery can power it!)

[Robertb]

Originally Posted by kamm

BINGO.

There are plenty of flat-rate deals in Europe as well and just like in the US, Amazon could just cut a deal on its own, thanks to its sheer market size - these are nonsensical explanations, I fully agree with all of you who do not believe Amazon's pathetic excuses.

I THINK what may be happening is that Amazon is trying to do a "subsidy" deal with the phone companies: "Help me sell the device cheaper and I will tie the customers to your plan". They do not want to let you choose a plan on your own as they gain nothing from that. Better stop here or I will be talking down an Astak competitor. Just trying to help.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Why would they make "excuses"? Amazon's number one priority is making money. Releasing the Kindle in Europe would be a hugely profitable exercise - what reason would they have for not doing so if they could do?

As I said and as a spokesman from Amazon said as reported a couple of months ago here at MR. They are waiting for more titles to be available electronically in Europe.

[Tuna]

Originally Posted by Robertb

I THINK what may be happening is that Amazon is trying to do a "subsidy" deal with the phone companies: "Help me sell the device cheaper and I will tie the customers to your plan". They do not want to let you choose a plan on your own as they gain nothing from that. Better stop here or I will be talking down an Astak competitor. Just trying to help.

I thought the point about the Kindle was that you don't have to know or care what plan it uses, or what carrier - it just works and costs you a fixed rate that Amazon handles. Having a Kindle doesn't force you to use a particular supplier, so it doesn't benefit the phone company in any way?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Tuna

I thought the point about the Kindle was that you don't have to know or care what plan it uses, or what carrier - it just works and costs you a fixed rate that Amazon handles. Having a Kindle doesn't force you to use a particular supplier, so it doesn't benefit the phone company in any way?

The user doesn't need to know, but certainly the phone company (Sprint, in the US) "benefits" from it. You don't think they're providing data transmission out of the "goodness of their hearts", do you? They certainly have a contract with Amazon to do so.