Amazon rethinking Kindle in the wake of Apple iPad

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Amazon is being forced to rethink many of the design decisions of its Kindle e-book reader after the introduction of Apple's iPad.



The New York Times reported that Amazon assimilated multitouch screen maker Touchco into its Kindle engineering team last week; since then, it reports the Kindle group has posted over 50 job openings for positions related to hardware design.



Among the job postings is a Hardware Display Manager position, which asks that applicants "know the LCD business and key players in the market." Up to this point, Amazon has touted the Kindle's quirky e-ink screen as a major feature, promoting its readability and power savings that enable the device to coast for days without charging it.



If the next Kindle moves to conventional LCD screen technology, it will enable Amazon to keep up with the iPad in terms of displaying color, animation, and video. An LCD would also be required to support a touch interface, as e-ink isn't responsive enough to respond to touch gestures; the display lags even with the existing button controls.



Amazon's Kindle group is also looking for WiFi specialists, presumably to help move the product from being 3G-only (and tied to a bundled mobile plan) into a hybrid or even WiFi-only lineup. That might enable Amazon to lower the price for users who don't need to download books from anywhere, and who use their e-book reader within an area that already has WiFi service.



Other job postings support Amazon's recently unveiled Software Development Kit plans for Kindle, intended to create accessory applications for the product. Any apps will almost certainly require existing Kindle users to upgrade to new hardware, as the technical constraints of e-ink would greatly limit what kinds of useful apps developers could create.



Having to rebuild the Kindle from scratch in order to make it more competitive with the iPad as an e-reader would seem to be an expensive proposition for Amazon, particularly given the relatively minor sales it has achieved over the last two years. In developing an entirely new device, Amazon will also face competition from the conventional e-ink readers from Sony and Barns and Noble, leaving some analysts to speculate that the company will need to maintain an e-ink model.



The iPad splash



The announcement of Apple's iPad is having a similar impact on other company's products. For example, the iPad is forcing Acer to rethink what kind of tablet devices it could introduce for $500 in competition with Apple's existing iTunes infrastructure. Other netbook makers are also likely to feel the pinch once the similarly priced iPad hits consumers with new multitouch features, rich media playback on a larger screen, an iBooks shelf, and the ability to play large format games with rich interactivity.



Outside of consumer e-book readers and netbooks, the iPad is showing promise to replace custom devices in medicine and in education, two fields where tablet devices seemed to show promise but never really gained much traction.



The impact of the iPad on the plans of other manufacturers was foreshadowed by the iPhone, which entered the smartphone market at a time with everyone's offerings were dominated by mini-keyboards and small screens. Within a couple years, pundits changed their tune on how terrible the iPhone's virtual keyboard was and every manufacturer has since shifted its smartphone development to focus on large screen devices with touch interfaces in the shadow of the iPhone.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 163
    takeotakeo Posts: 445member
    I don't know... I think eInk is still a pretty big deal. Huge benefits. But everything has it's pros and cons.



    Personally... I think that once colour eInk come out... it would be perfect for an outdoor handheld GPS. I used them a lot for backpacking and search and rescue and they all have two big problems... short battery life very difficult to read outdoors. But I can't imagine Garmin ever being innovative enough to think of using a PixelQi or eInk screen.
  • Reply 2 of 163
    I bet. Want a Kindle cheap? Take a look at eBay in eight weeks or so.
  • Reply 3 of 163
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Renting of books is coming to the iPad and future Kindles, this is why the buy price shift upwards to make room for another set of prices at Amazon (the iBookStore will have a substantial head start of course), is my current estimation of what's going on.



    Renting of e-books is a untapped market, the DRM needed to allow renting can be better enforced on a device with a totally different processor type like the A4 is.



    "People don't read anymore" - Steve Jobs.



    Says it all right there, he's addressing the issue of why people don't read, the high costs of books.



    It costs something like 10% to print, 10% to distribute and 40% to retail a book. Apple is going to do it for 30%. Who knows what they will get for the untapped rental market, but publishers are more likely to get into renting and adjust prices to maximize profit in both, selling and renting, as they will have control over prices.



    Sure some buying sales are going to be lost because of renting, but they are most likely figuring the huge untapped rental market is going to offset that small loss.



    Quote:

    The Audit Bureau of Circulations says U.S. magazine circulation dropped 2.2 percent in the second half of 2009. Sales at newsstands and other retail sites fell 9 percent, while paid subscriptions fell 1.1 percent.



    http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9779673





    After the iBookStore success on the iPad, Apple is going to court more of the strict DRM movie studio types for their content.



    The reason I say this is even on Netflix, there are a lot of movies you can only get via copy protected DVD's. No streaming what so ever, but perhaps with a closed system like the iPad they will think otherwise.



    Unfortunately for us who already own a compuer, if you want to view any of this DRMed content, from the iBookStore or iTunes, you'll have to buy a iPad. Which will spur sales of the device to normal computer/Mac using folks who ordinarily wouldn't buy the device because of it's lack of features.



    The oracle of Apple has spoken.
  • Reply 4 of 163
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Amazon is getting into the hardware business? And develop software to accompany it? They are asking for a world of hurt. They will blow through serious cash in R&D costs and any type of return on investment will be years away. My bet would be they will try for a couple years (at the most) and hundreds of millions of dollars later will realize they should have stuck with what they know best - selling stuff.
  • Reply 5 of 163
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Even with 3G built in for the $489 price of a Kindle DX, I can't imagine they'll be selling too many of them once the iPad comes out. It (the iPad) simply represents a better value even at $629 with the 3G feature. That is assuming that you would consider the $489 price-point of the Kindle DX normal for such a device.
  • Reply 6 of 163
    If I were Amazon, I'd do either of two things:



    - Have a contract company design the Kindle for me (e.g. Toshiba, Samsung, etc.); or

    - Aggressively push my content through the existing manufacturers (Apple, Sony, all those hundreds of other e-Readers without trademark stores).



    But competing with Apple and Sony on hardware design - for that, you need some serious cojones, and loads of extra cash. Increasing headcount and building up new teams could be madness. Kindle, even its international model, doesn't excite me in the least. I keep reading the Amazon books on my iPhone...



    Of course, there's always hope that even a book distributor could design some magical device...
  • Reply 7 of 163
    Apple disrupting yet another business.... between Apple and Google, they've pretty much got it covered at this point.



    I've got to be tearing my hair out wondering "what the heck do I do now," if I am a competitor or an affected industry.



    A bit scary really. (And they have not even really got to the living room yet).
  • Reply 8 of 163
    ihxoihxo Posts: 567member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Takeo View Post


    Personally... I think that once colour eInk come out... it would be perfect for an outdoor handheld GPS. I used them a lot for backpacking and search and rescue and they all have two big problems... short battery life very difficult to read outdoors. But I can't imagine Garmin ever being innovative enough to think of using a PixelQi or eInk screen.



    You won't be benefiting from eInk much if you use it for GPS.



    eBooks can last for days because it only uses battery when you turn a page (refresh). If you are an average reader you'll be turning pages every minute or so. GPS have to refresh the eInk display at least every second or so. So on average it will have to divide up a regular eBook reader's battery life by 60, then you'll have a better idea of how long an eInk display based GPS will last.



    In kindle's case, it says it'll last up to 7 days. If you divide that by 60, that's about 2.8 hours.
  • Reply 9 of 163
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleZilla View Post


    I bet. Want a Kindle cheap? Take a look at eBay in eight weeks or so.



    Some members on this forum keep saying that but it couldn't be further from the truth. Many consumers want a device that has a single purpose and performs that purpose well. The Kindle is a far better ereader simply based on is screen technology compared to the iPad. For ereading using a EPD display is far better then an LCD/LED.



    There wouldnt be any reason for consumers to sell their Kindle even if they were going to by an iPad.
  • Reply 10 of 163
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    Apple disrupting yet another business.... between Apple and Google, they've pretty much got it covered at this point.



    I've got to be tearing my hair out wondering "what the heck do I do now," if I am a competitor or an affected industry.



    A bit scary really. (And they have not even really got to the living room yet).



    The only thing Apple has managed to do with the iPad is raise the cost of EBooks. Right now the iPad is better known for what it can't do rather then what it can. Not exactly innovative.
  • Reply 11 of 163
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    Many consumers want a device that has a single purpose and performs that purpose well.



    Many do, but many don't, too. Don't deny it, all e-ink device sales are hurt because most people want something that does more than one thing well and most people don't like e-ink because it doesn't display text as good as a book. You'll say I'm wrong despite Amazon's reactionary tactics being proof enough of what is coming.
  • Reply 12 of 163
    ihxoihxo Posts: 567member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    The only thing Apple has managed to do with the iPad is raise the cost of EBooks. Right now the iPad is better known for what it can't do rather then what it can. Not exactly innovative.



    Competition "raised" the cost because 9.99 is artificially set by Amazon. They are losing money on each ebook sale. Publishers will not feel the need to drop the price (until Amazon have a monopoly on the market and renegotiate).



    In a situation where price's not artificially set, competition will most certainly bring the price down.



    So yeah, instead of blaming Apple for entering the market, you should be thanking them for breaking Amazon's monopoly, and bringing real market economy to the eBook market.
  • Reply 13 of 163
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    ...The Kindle is a far better ereader simply based on is screen technology compared to the iPad. For ereading using a EPD display is far better then an LCD/LED.



    According to what I read, the iPad has the same type screen as a recent MacBook, which I set one up for someone and it was absolutely horrible to use as a e-reader.



    Unfortunately, the combination of the Reality Distortion Effect, Apple clever marketing with free publicity, more features, the "oh shiny, must have" glossy screen effect and so on, will overwhelm consumers common sense and reason as usual.



    So the iPad will sell well, despite the Kindle having a easier on the eyes, type screen, the only thing it has going for it. ("Direct all iPad glossy screen haters to the Kindle" - a future Phil Schiller comment perhaps?)



    Perhaps the NEXT Kindle will beat the iPad, but it has a long way to go to match what Apple already has already established.



    And the reason Amazon is pursuing the Kindle is given by my signature...
  • Reply 14 of 163
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    "People don't read anymore" - Steve Jobs.



    Says it all right there, he's addressing the issue of why people don't read, the high costs of books.



    He was embelishing, to put it most kindly. Publishing is bigger in revenue than music and movies combined. At least it was when he said that. But he can't say that, because that wouldn't sabotage Amazon's efforts.





    Regarding 2H2009, one data point is not much to go by, especially during a recession.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    Many do, but many don't, too. Don't deny it, all e-ink device sales are hurt because most people want something that does more than one thing well and most people don't like e-ink because it doesn't display text as good as a book. You'll say I'm wrong despite Amazon's reactionary tactics being proof enough of what is coming.



    Kindle does have a higher ppi, though the screen is a little smaller. But yes, the trend is convergence. iPad converges more functions into one device and I think does a lot better of a job of it than the Kindle. It's kind of too bad, I would prefer not to have an emissive screen, but you sacrifice a lot with non-emissive screens.
  • Reply 15 of 163
    Jobs must have stock in Visions Eyecare or something because of his stupid decision to sell glossy only screens. Moronic is an understatement!
  • Reply 16 of 163
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Color will help the Kindle display... color. But matching the iPad for animation and video requires more: a fast CPU, fast graphics core, mass storage and an OS to match the graphics abilities of OS X.
  • Reply 17 of 163
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    Some members on this forum keep saying that but it couldn't be further from the truth. Many consumers want a device that has a single purpose and performs that purpose well



    Many? who's "many"?



    We're moving toward device convergence/multipurpose devices. That's the reality.



    Anyway, Amazon needs to rethink the entire e-book reader paradigm from the ground up. Or else their main distributor will be eBay.
  • Reply 18 of 163
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by pondosinatra View Post


    Jobs must have stock in Visions Eyecare or something because of his stupid decision to sell glossy only screens. Moronic is an understatement!



    Nearly every netbook on the market has a glossy screen. Nearly every major smartphone on the market has a glossy screen. And people are buying. Glossy is a reality. Don't like it? Ask yourself why people keep buying.
  • Reply 19 of 163
    And Amazon is going to have to rethink how it interacts with the iPad platform and bring added value to it or bet the corporation on competing against the iPad with a replacement to the Kindle.
  • Reply 20 of 163
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer View Post


    And Amazon is going to have to rethink how it interacts with the iPad platform and bring added value to it or bet the corporation on competing against the iPad with a replacement to the Kindle.



    Amazon can't afford to lose the ebook wars to Apple. Ebooks are a far bigger part of Amazon's business. All that's about to change, however.



    Apple will do to ebooks what they did to music, and Steve's strategy is far smarter this time around.
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