5 ms·

Rumor: Amazon has an “entire family” of Android devices coming this holiday

63 points by Raphael 15y ago

rst 15y ago
At this point, particularly after creating their own app store, it would be more of a surprise if Amazon didn't have at least one Android gizmo in the works, if not a whole series. What's not clear is whether it's going to be the full Android experience, including Google's closed-source apps (Maps, Gmail, and most important, the Market), or whether it will be more like the Nook Color --- core android without the closed Google apps, plus Amazon's own app store only. (In which case, you'd need to publish to Amazon's app store, and let Amazon arbitrarily cut the price and your royalty, in order to get anything on these devices.) The rumor-level info that Google's involved in the project could be taken as a hint that Amazon's not planning to go so completely their own way... but only that.
- Qz 15y ago
  and most important, the Market Erm, how is that the most important? Amazon has their own market now, and honestly I trust Amazon to make a better marketplace than Google.
  - dantheman 15y ago
    Amazon's android market has some seriously onerous terms. Here's the IDGA's take on it: http://igdaboard.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/important-advisory-about-amazon%E2%80%99s-appstore-distribution-terms-2/ http://igdaboard.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/important-advisory...
jcampbell1 15y ago
I've heard some have mirasol screens. E-ink like reading experience, but full color and video capable.
snotrockets 15y ago
Like any good conspiracy theory, this starts valid (Amazon to build Android devices) and ends misinformed (Fringe Field Switching isn't e-ink, but "normal" LCD) and out of sync with reality (Mirasol isn't ready for prime time yet.)
Jun8 15y ago
The art that really piqued my interest was the possibility of an Amazon set top box. That makes total sense with their movie rental service and connecting with the other devices.
cageface 15y ago
If this is true this might be the breaking point for the iOS Kindle app. It's not hard for me to imagine that an Amazon Android tablet will push Apple to boot the Kindle off their platform.
- jnhnum1 15y ago
  Google is still the default search provider for iOS, isn't it?
- msbarnett 15y ago
  There's a Nook app for iOS. Google has several apps in the App Store. I don't see them kicking out the Kindle app just to retaliate over usage of Android.
- cstross 15y ago
  It's not hard for me to imagine that an Amazon Android tablet will push Apple to boot the Kindle off their platform. That whooshing noise is a DoJ v. Apple anti-trust case on final approach in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... I find it hard to imagine a more overt anti-competitive act than booting an app from your app store because the vendor starts selling a different product that might undercut your company store. And while the DoJ has been remarkably supine in pursuing anti-trust cases since the Clinton administration, Apple's relentless rise in the CE sector has got to have been alarming their rivals. [ EDIT: Which is to say, I believe such a move would cross the line from business hardball into monopolistic practices at which point politics comes into play. ]
  - cageface 15y ago
    All they have to do to kick Kindle off is enforce their recent policy of requiring all downloadable content to also be available through in-app purchasing at a 30% fee. At the moment the Kindle app appears to be enjoying the protection of an unwritten grandfather clause. If this does happen I hope it does attract some anti-trust scrutiny.
brianbreslin 15y ago
Would love to see an iPod touch competitor or an unlocked android phone I can use for dev/testing
enjo 15y ago
Amazon has a design aesthetic that I really like. It also fits really well with what Android is doing. The sheer amount of engineering talent that a Google/Amazon partnership would create is astounding.

63 points by Raphael 15y ago

rst 15y ago

At this point, particularly after creating their own app store, it would be more of a surprise if Amazon didn't have at least one Android gizmo in the works, if not a whole series. What's not clear is whether it's going to be the full Android experience, including Google's closed-source apps (Maps, Gmail, and most important, the Market), or whether it will be more like the Nook Color --- core android without the closed Google apps, plus Amazon's own app store only. (In which case, you'd need to publish to Amazon's app store, and let Amazon arbitrarily cut the price and your royalty, in order to get anything on these devices.) The rumor-level info that Google's involved in the project could be taken as a hint that Amazon's not planning to go so completely their own way... but only that.

Qz 15y ago
and most important, the Market Erm, how is that the most important? Amazon has their own market now, and honestly I trust Amazon to make a better marketplace than Google.
- dantheman 15y ago
  Amazon's android market has some seriously onerous terms. Here's the IDGA's take on it: http://igdaboard.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/important-advisory-about-amazon%E2%80%99s-appstore-distribution-terms-2/ http://igdaboard.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/important-advisory...

jcampbell1 15y ago

I've heard some have mirasol screens. E-ink like reading experience, but full color and video capable.

snotrockets 15y ago

Like any good conspiracy theory, this starts valid (Amazon to build Android devices) and ends misinformed (Fringe Field Switching isn't e-ink, but "normal" LCD) and out of sync with reality (Mirasol isn't ready for prime time yet.)

Jun8 15y ago

The art that really piqued my interest was the possibility of an Amazon set top box. That makes total sense with their movie rental service and connecting with the other devices.

cageface 15y ago

If this is true this might be the breaking point for the iOS Kindle app. It's not hard for me to imagine that an Amazon Android tablet will push Apple to boot the Kindle off their platform.

jnhnum1 15y ago
Google is still the default search provider for iOS, isn't it?
msbarnett 15y ago
There's a Nook app for iOS. Google has several apps in the App Store. I don't see them kicking out the Kindle app just to retaliate over usage of Android.
cstross 15y ago
It's not hard for me to imagine that an Amazon Android tablet will push Apple to boot the Kindle off their platform. That whooshing noise is a DoJ v. Apple anti-trust case on final approach in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... I find it hard to imagine a more overt anti-competitive act than booting an app from your app store because the vendor starts selling a different product that might undercut your company store. And while the DoJ has been remarkably supine in pursuing anti-trust cases since the Clinton administration, Apple's relentless rise in the CE sector has got to have been alarming their rivals. [ EDIT: Which is to say, I believe such a move would cross the line from business hardball into monopolistic practices at which point politics comes into play. ]
- cageface 15y ago
  All they have to do to kick Kindle off is enforce their recent policy of requiring all downloadable content to also be available through in-app purchasing at a 30% fee. At the moment the Kindle app appears to be enjoying the protection of an unwritten grandfather clause. If this does happen I hope it does attract some anti-trust scrutiny.

brianbreslin 15y ago

Would love to see an iPod touch competitor or an unlocked android phone I can use for dev/testing

enjo 15y ago

Amazon has a design aesthetic that I really like. It also fits really well with what Android is doing. The sheer amount of engineering talent that a Google/Amazon partnership would create is astounding.