It’s only a week since we brought you news that the Amazon Kindle Fire 2 is on the way, and now further confirmation of a new 7-inch and a larger 9-inch Amazon tabs has landed on our internets. The word is that the smaller of the two will launch in May, but will the Amazon Kindle Fire 2 price be less than that of the original?
The report comes from China Times, who’s been speaking to a source close to the production process. Apparently the Amazon Kindle Fire 2 will be shipping May and assembled at Foxconn, rather than Quanta.
How does that affect the pricing? Simple: the original Kindle Fire was put together at Quanta with the OEM making many of the key hardware decisions.
Amazon Kindle Fire 2: The specs we want to see
At Foxconn Amazon will be able to retain a bit more control of what goes into the tab, meaning that cheaper parts can be used, or at least used more cleverly.
The result will either be a cheaper tab or a far superior tablet at the same price. Either way we’ll be laughing (or we will if Amazon ever launches the Kindle Fire in the UK). Amazon currently loses cash on each Kindle Fire sold, aiming to make it back in ebook, movie and music sales.
The same business model will have to stay if the Kindle Fire 2 and the larger Kindle Fire want to take on the upcoming iPad 3.
