The Next Amazon E-Reader Will Be a Tablet?

About a year ago, Amazon released what is now considered the best dedicated e-book reader on the market. Kindle 3 is not perfect but comes closest to perfection than any other e-reader that we have tried. Many of us expected Amazon to release a new Kindle this year. With E-ink not planning to introduce new screen technology this year, Amazon is in a delicate place.

Kindle fans are demanding. Apple may be able to pull off introducing new iPads or iPhones with minor upgrades. Amazon can’t take the same approach with Kindle. So we are not going to get a new Amazon e-reader this year, right? Many folks forget that the company has been slowly completing its tablet eco-system. Amazon already has a video on demand service. It has a growing app store for Android. Let’s not forget about Amazon Cloud Drive. A Kindle tablet could debut later this year if all things go according to the plan.

There are already a number of rumors going around about Amazon’s upcoming tablet. From the looks of it, Samsung will be making the device. It will be Android powered to take advantage of the Android store on Amazon.com. According to Digitimes, Quanta has already received orders for this gadget:

Taiwan-based notebook maker Quanta Computer has recently received OEM orders from Amazon for its reported tablet PC, according to sources from upstream component makers. The device’s monthly orders during the peak season are expected to reach about 700,000-800,000 units.

Could Amazon refresh its e-ink e-reader models this year? That is not out of the realm of possibility. But let’s make no mistake about it — Amazon has the tablet market in its sight.