In a month full of tech news, Amazon made a big splash at the end of September with their announcement of the new family of Kindle devices. In addition to the anticipated Kindle Fire, Amazon introduced two devices: the new Kindle, which is smaller, thinner and lighter than the original Kindle, and the Kindle Touch, an e-ink device with a touchscreen. Together with the tablet/e-reader hybrid Kindle Fire, Amazon has introduced a range of devices that could take the e-reader market by storm.
But the impact of Amazon’s new range of Kindles could go beyond just competition with other e-readers. With their new tablet, Amazon is poised to change the game—and the possibilities for business, entertainment and education.
Big tech for small prices
The Kindle was Amazon’s first original electronic device, and it was designed to capitalize on its book catalog. Despite other devices with more features—like Barnes and Noble’s Nook—the Kindle is still the most popular e-reader ever sold. Their new e-ink Kindles are lighter and faster than the original Kindle and start at just $79—the most affordable e-reader to date. And the Kindle Fire—poised to be the first real competitor to the iPad2—is just $199, putting it within reach of consumers who haven’t purchased an iPad2 or an equally expensive Android tablet. By dropping the price of their original Kindle and introducing new Kindles at low prices, they’re making new technology attractive to consumers who might not have considered buying an e-reader.
Competing with Apple
The new family of Kindles includes the Kindle Fire, which is Amazon’s answer to the iPad2 and Android tablets. While the Fire has the potential to change the tablet market, it isn’t really an iPad2 analog—and it isn’t built to be. What the Fire can do, however, is make e-readers and portable entertainment more common—which can impact the educational market. Schools have been eager to embrace the iPad2 as an educational device, but even with educational discounts, the device is still expensive. At less than $200 per unit, the Kindle Fire gives students access to thousands of books and hundreds of movies and TV shows, as well as access to Amazon’s Cloud Drive. For students who attend an online school or are enrolled in distance learning, the ability to read, study, and exchange assignments and other data with teachers and classmates makes the Kindle Fire a real competitor in the educational sphere. Apple has the lion’s share of business when it comes to schools, but Amazon could change that.
Reading for techies
Amazon began as an online bookstore—and they’re taking advantage of their reputation by making reading more attractive. People still read, but their reading habits are changing: blogs are becoming the most common reading material, and with shortening attention spans, Kindle is responding with Kindle Singles, novellas and long news pieces that are affordably priced and the perfect length for people on the go. Amazon’s new devices are designed to make content easier to purchase, and the result could be a resurgence in reading for pleasure among students and adults alike. Appealing to people’s need for fresh technology as well as their desire to read has been a good bet for Amazon so far, and they are poised to become even more successful with their new devices.
The new Kindle devices will be ready to ship in mid-November—with the new Kindle shipping now. Amazon’s business model has shifted to being the best content delivery company in the world—and their new family of Kindles will make that possible.
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