Amazon launches new tablet

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Internet
rumours suggest that Amazon will join the American tablet market in
the second half of 2011. A date for a European release is so far
unknown – as is the name. Amazon hopes to reach peak sales of
800,000 tablets per month.

The device
itself will be made by Taiwanese Qanta, current manufacturer of
Blackberry and Sony’s tablets. E Ink Holding, manufacturers of
Kindle’s screens, will produce the tablet’s LCD screens.

To Google or not to Google?

The
rumours have been around since last March, when Amazon launched an
AppStore for Android, which is why analysts think that the new tablet
will feature Google’s operating system as well. Some guess that
Amazon will choose for a customised version without several Google
apps (like GMail or Google Voice), as using them would require a new,
possibly expensive, deal with Google. Specialists would take that as
a bad step, as they see Google’s applications as a perfect complement
for Amazon’s retail network.

So far,
nothing is yet officially announced about this new tablet, but
analysts mentioned the probable deep integration of Amazon’s web
shops, much like iTunes is integrated in the iPad(2). Indeed, the new
announcement is seen by many as a direct attack on Apple and its
tablet market share of over 80%. Apple is not really amused, and has
filed a complaint for Amazon’s use of their patented name “App
Store”.