Amazon is expected to launch a new version of its 7in Kindle Fire tablet on Thursday 6 September, after chief executive Jeff Bezos claimed that the product was "sold out" - though the latter claim has been challenged by Jon Erlichman of Bloomberg TV.
Analysts estimate that from figures announced by Bezos, in all between 5m and 6m Kindle Fires – which are fully functional tablet computers, unlike the black-and-white Kindle e-reader – have been shipped sold in the US since its launch.
The online retailer will hold a media event in Santa Monica, California, where a new version of the tablet is anticipated. Bezos claims the Kindle Fire has taken 22% of the US tablet market since its launch in October 2011. A European launch is also on the cards, after Amazon unveiled a version of its Amazon Market for Kindle Fire apps on Thursday.
The US price for the first Kindle Fire was $199, but there is no indication of UK or European prices. The next version is expected to bring a higher-quality screen than the first. Amazon is believed to be losing money on each tablet sold, but recoups it in profits on content people buy from its music, video and web stores, which are tightly woven into the core software.
Source: The Guardian
