Here's an interesting development: Amazon has yanked both models of Kindle Touch from its US site, The Verge reports. We already know that the online retail giant has a big press event planned for 6 September, so could an update be on the cards?
We're expecting a sequel to the Kindle Fire Android tablet at the September event, but the fact both the Wi-Fi and 3G models of Kindle Touch have disappeared makes me think Amazon is cooking up something else. Both models are listed as "currently unavailable" with prospective buyers being told: "we don't know when or if this item will be back in stock."
Now I know we're coming to the end of the summer holidays, but still, I can't see Amazon running out of stock of both devices unless it's planning on refreshing the lineup.
We Brits can still buy both models though, which hints that maybe we'll be left out of the bookish love-in come 6 September. Seriously, if that is the case I think I might flip a table. We still can't buy the Kindle Fire in the UK, so if Amazon does launch a sequel, and updates the Kindle Touch while omitting us Bits, well, that's taking the mickey somewhat.
Amazon did sneak its Cloud Drive storage system onto these shores without telling anyone though, so it could be planning some UK-specific announcements. Let's hope so anyway.
The Kindle Fire 2 is said to be thinner, lighter, and have a rear-facing camera. The screen could also match the Nexus 7's resolution of 1,280x800 pixels. Amazon could well be worried by the success of the Nexus 7, which would be all the more reason to bring the Kindle Fire to the UK, in my opinion.
Do you think the Kindle Touch will be updated? And will we be left out? Let me know in the comments, or on Facebook.
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damien2501 27 August, 2012 12:45
I hope they stick with e-ink. If its a tablet whats the point? may as well get an ipad or nexus and use kindle app. I wonder if it would be possible to have a device that does both?
anonymous 27 August, 2012 17:34
I was planning on buying one. I read a lot in other languages and found the option to download other dictionaries in the Kindle PC app very useful. So I was disappointed to find that the Kindle Fire that I got for my birthday recently doesn't support that option. When I contacted customer support about it, they just said it's an option for the other Kindle but not Fire. So I was going to be nice about this and just buy Kindle Touch for my non-English books. Well, I guess not now!
Whatever they do, I hope they respect that not every customer wants to be trapped into a monolingual world. They already have this option for some products--they need to make it universal for all their Kindle products.
billfred 27 August, 2012 21:11
^^ Just buy the normal Kindle.
anonymous 28 August, 2012 00:35
" But the fact both the Wi-Fi and 3G models of Kindle Touch have disappeared makes me think Amazon is cooking up something else"
...are you serious? Nook has a backlit e-ink reader. expect amazon to offer their own. Sep 6 is for all the Kindles, not just the Fire.
Ruffus Stone 29 August, 2012 00:20
[Quote: Amazon could well be worried by the success of the Nexus 7, which would be all the more reason to bring the Kindle Fire to the UK, in my opinion.]
I don't think Nexus 7 sales in the UK would worry Amazon too much.
The only reason they'd release the Fire in other markets like the UK, is when or if they intend to extend the Amazon tablet media consumption model beyond American shores.
Then again, that's exactly what Google are doing with the Nexus, i.e. trying to establish themselves in the media consumption space, but tackling overseas markets at the onset.
Amazon may well react and release the Fire 2 across a wider international market?