Amazon Could Launch Two Kindle Phones Plus A New Streaming Music Device
May 9, 2013
Amazon is said to be working on three new mobile devices that could launch later this year. Two of these are so-called “Kindle Phones,” while the other is an audio-only streaming device, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Of the two phones, it is the more expensive one that could prove most significant. This handset could include the ability for users to see 3-D images without glasses. Using retina-tracking technology, the images would “seem to float about the screen like a hologram.”
Meanwhile, the audio device is being described as a tool that would allow users to stream audio through speakers or a television set. This device could also serve as a launching pad for an Amazon-branded streaming music service that would compete with Spotify and Pandora, among others.
These new products represent three additional elements to Amazon’s growing digital footprint. In April, it was reported that Amazon might unveil a set-top box that would compete with the Apple TV, and similar products, such as the Roku. The Kindle Box could arrive in the fall, and would offer access to Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service.
Personally, I’m not sure that we need yet another streaming music service, especially with Apple’s iRadio likely to launch soon. However, I wouldn’t count Amazon out were it to happen given their huge online presence. As far as the Kindle Phone, its likelihood of success will depend on its list of features, and perhaps more importantly, the providers who carry it.
As usual, we’ll keep you updated.
See also: Amazon Says Yes To 'Betas' A New Comedy Pilot About Geeks In Silicon Valley, and Amazon's Kindle Phone Could Launch Later This Year.