Amazon Thinking Of Subscriptions For Kindle 2.0?

Amazon Kindle has had its detractors over the past year. Many call the device “overrated” and overpriced. The fact is that while Amazon Kindle is a wonderful device, people are hesitant about parting ways with $350 of their hard-earned money for an ebook reader.

Here is the solution that Amazon may introduce with Kindle 2.0: Internet subscriptions. In essence, you get the device with a heavy discount. Let’s say Amazon gives out the Kindle for $50 (to be honest I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave it out for free). Then, they ask you to sign up for their wireless plans. They can have lifetime wireless plans or they can offer plans with low monthly fees to pay for the cost of the device.

I believe that a lot of people are more comfortable with paying $25 a month for 12 months rather than paying $300 up front. So these monthly subscriptions would make the device more affordable to more people.

At this point, I would be surprised if Amazon Kindle 2.0 did not come with a subscription fee. Kindle has been amazing and has its fans. But for Amazon to be able to justify the risk it has taken with the Kindle, it need to sell many more Kindles. One way to do that is to lower the prices (or give that impression), and charging monthly fees would be one way to go.

Would you buy a Kindle with a subscription fee instead of an one-time upfront fee?