With Apple’s iPad about to shake up the e-book market, Amazon is planning to expand its Kindle e-reader business further into the international market.
Until now the Kindle has only been available outside the USA to those willing to import. However, quoted by The Scotsman newspaper, Amazon UK managing director Brian McBride has confirmed that plans are definitely afoot for a proper international launch for the device.
Although he didn’t give a date for a UK launch, McBride is confident that the Kindle will make a more significant impact in the UK than it has to date. “Will Kindle become a bigger thing in the UK? Absolutely, because we have not yet launched a UK version.”
It’s encouraging to hear that Amazon is still committed to bringing a dedicated version of Kindle to the UK. Currently, international Kindle customers pay higher prices for their books thanks the fact that their devices download books via AT&T’s US mobile network, with the Kindle roaming on a UK network.
By committing to international markets, Amazon could steal the march on Apple’s looming iPad e-book business. While the iBooks Store attracted attention when Steve Jobs launched the iPad recently, Apple will only be selling e-books in the USA for now. That leaves the rest of the world ripe for Amazon to exploit.
“The fact is it is very, very early days for us,” McBride is quoted by The Scotsman as saying. “We believe this is chapter one in a very long story.” With the current device featuring an unsexy monochrome screen, a next generation Kindle is likely to be an important part of persuading customers to embrace e-books. With Amazon’s recent purchase of colour touchscreen company Touchtec, an iPad-rivalling version of the Kindle looks likely.
With a huge variety of iPhone apps already compatible, the iPad is likely to offer a lot more than a Kindle ever will. It’s unlikely Amazon would go down the route of turning the Kindle into a fully-fledged multimedia device. When it comes to a pure reading device though, the mainstream market is still there to be conquered.
The key question is whether customers will prefer a dedicated e-reader like the Kindle or the variety that the iPad will offer.
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you should try it, and make it as your new Home Page
WoW Man!
Great Website idea!
I'll use it on my PC FireFox for now.
TNX!!
I think the main deciding factor here will be one of price, currently the kindle is priced way too high for what it is, and the price has actually increased since the launch of the newer model. Why pay as much or more for a Kindle which is just an e-reader when you will be able to buy a tablet that can do so much more.
I rather get the Kindle than getting the iPad. I already got the iPhone so there's no room for “another” over-sized iPhone.
ohh top funny…. Stop drinking the Ipad flop koolaid~ You must be fooling yourself if you think the Ipad will flop and week demand. This thing will be in the hands of every school kid before you snap your fingers, Doctors, Collage Students, entertainment lovers, you name it. If Ipad is a flop, good for me cause it means I won't have to stand for 5 hours in a mall waiting to get the release~ On the other hand I know that likely won't happen….
I have the kindle and for reading books its ok but its so limited and I still end up buying hard copies of books just because I love the smell of fresh ink. Even thoug I have the kindle I end up reading my books on the Iphone just because of the back light ~ So time will tell…
The Kindle DX is $489, the iPad is $499. You get 4 times the storage, plus a full blown entertainment device (with a color screen) for 10 dollars more. Article bookmarked
I think that we are looking at a market change for Amazon. The Kindle will (I hope) keep a loyal following, simply because it offers a lower-cost option for acquiring books. It also has a very large library of ebooks, blogs, newspapers, etc.
The advantage in the iPad is that of added functionality. You get a decent ebook reader along with a device that is almost as functional as most netbooks. Don't get me wrong, I really love a lot of Apple's products. I just dislike the iPhone because it shot my Treo sales out on ebay when it came out, and now the iPad because it may hurt sales at my Kindle website.
The fact is that ebooks haven't stopped people from buying books in print – they have just lowered the number of print books sold. They haven't eliminated the market, just caused it to shift a bit.
If you like kindle books and accessories, come to my website at: http://crabbymac.info/kindle-books/