It turns out that the Kindle is getting another retail outlet. Amazon issued a press release this morning announcing it was going to begin selling the 3G version of the device in AT&T’s retail stores nationwide. These stores currently sell feature phones, smartphones, and other devices that work with AT&T’s network, so it’s not too surprising they would decide to add the Kindle. (The 3G version, at least. The wifi-only version was not mentioned in the press release.) Though it’s a little ironic that, unlike every other product AT&T stores sell, the Kindle comes with free 3G for life rather than a soul-mortgaging contract.
As with Best Buy’s Kindle sales, the AT&T-sold Kindle will cost the same $189 retail price as the version you get via Amazon. The fact that Amazon is widening its retail presence, and thus losing a chunk of cash to middlemen from even more sales, could suggest that the price is coming down enough that perhaps Amazon might be inclined to go even further later this year, using discounted or free Kindles to entice more people to sign up for Amazon Prime.
Or I could be reaching. We’ll just have to see.
