Kindle Books On More Devices?

From the day Kindle 2.0 was introduced, we have heard how Amazon has grand plans for its Kindle shop. It seems the so-called “Kindle store” won’t be for Amazon Kindle only. Amazon is a book retailer, and I can understand if it targets mobile devices such as the iPhone to sell more books and reach out to more customers. But will Amazon cannibalize its own device by taking away a big layer of competitive edge off of Kindle?

The iPhone and the Kindle are two very different devices and Amazon may not be risking too much by reaching out to the iPhone holders. A lot of these guys may even own Kindles which would be even better for Amazon. But the real trouble arises when you consider the possibility of Amazon offering e-books to Sony. I am still not sure whether that happens, but if it does, that would somewhat level the playing field. I am all for intense competition and rivalries, and if Amazon goes ahead with this, we may see the e-book market explode to new heights. But is it really likely for Amazon to hinder the growth of its own device to increase the overall size of the pie in this market?

The details are sketchy at best at this point. There seems to be a real interest on Amazon’s part to target mobile phone users. iPhone has a huge following, and that market would be very attractive for Amazon. But as far as Amazon offering e-books to its direct rivals such as Sony, we will have to wait and see. I have a hunch that it will happen but not in the near future.

Your take: