Amazon's hotly awaited challenger to Apple's
iPad will be called the Kindle Fire, technology website TechCrunch
reported Monday.
The report, which said that the device would not be available for
sale until early November, came two days before a scheduled press
event where Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos is expected to unveil
the table computer for the first time.
Amazon announced a deal Monday to stream Fox movies and TV shows
online, a content deal that could boost Amazon's tablet as it seeks
to build a tightly integrated system that will allow users to consume
media, browse the web, shop Amazon's online store and use the
company's other services.
Amazon has not confirmed that it will announce the new tablet on
Wednesday, but rumours of the iPad challenger have been swirling for
months.
Though other would-be iPad rivals - the likes of Samsung, HP and
RIM - have all failed to take off, analysts see Amazon's millions of
web customers and its streaming media offerings as giving it the best
chance yet of denting the iPad's dominance.
The launch coincides with an analyst report from JP Morgan Chase,
which said that Apple has cut back its orders of iPad parts by 25 per
cent this quarter, fearing the effect of a global economic slowdown
on sales. Nevertheless, analyst Mark Moskowitz repeated earlier
forecasts that Apple would sell between 10 million and 12 million
iPads in the second half of 2011.
Analysts have predicted sales of between 3 million and 5 million
unit in the fourth quarter for Amazon's new tablet, which is expected
to sport a 7-inch screen compared to the 10-inch viewing area of the
iPad, but will reportedly sell for 250 dollars, half the price of its
larger rival.
Online video rental service Netflix, which recently announced it
was splitting its DVD service from its streaming service, also
announced a new content deal. The exclusive deal with Dreamworks
Animation gives the video provider the online rights from 2013 to
many of the studio's films such as Shrek.
Amazon's deal means its customers will be able to see movies like
Mrs Doubtfire, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and Speed, as well
as TV shows such as 24, Arrested Development, Ally McBeal, Buffy the
Vampire Slayer, The X-Files and The Wonder Years.
