Several news sites are reporting hearing that Amazon is going to be launching two new Kindle Fire tablets this year, not just one—a new generation of seven-inch tablet, and the long-expected ten-inch version that will compete directly with the iPad size for size. The rumors tend to trace back to one site, BGR (nee Boy Genius Report), which has had a pretty decent track record in breaking gadget news.
A ten-inch tablet has been expected ever since Amazon launched the seven-inch one last year, so it’s not really a big surprise if it is true. It makes sense Amazon would want to solidify its user base in a niche nobody else really owned before worrying about taking on its biggest competitor. Apple has a pretty big head start, but thanks to the momentum the Kindle Fire has already built up, people will know what to expect.
BGR also notes that the build quality for the new Fires has improved over the current model, featuring a metal casing rather than plastic. The ten-inch model is said to have a front-facing camera, and both models reportedly feature a micro-USB port and another port that may be HDMI out.
This is, of course, only rumor, but it’s at least a plausible rumor. It will be interesting to see whether it works out to be true.
