Courtesy of Benzinga.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) might be on the cusp of releasing a very familiar tablet.
Following in the footsteps of its biggest competitors — Samsung (OTC: SSNLF), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) — Amazon appears to be developing a tablet that looks identical to last year’s edition.
EVLeaks, one of the most trusted Twitter-based sources for leaked images, has posted the first supposed image of the 2013 Kindle Fire.
With thick black bars running alongside the edge of the display and an overall shape that is arguably the same as last year’s Kindle Fire, consumers may not think that Amazon has made many changes.
Very, very little is officially known about what these devices may offer. Many assumed that Amazon would unveil the next Kindle Fire at a September event, but the company may have been scared off by competing events from Apple, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Samsung.
According to a July report by BGR, Amazon will release three new tablets. The first will be a replacement for the standard (non-HD) Kindle Fire. The second will offer a seven-inch display with 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and a Snapdragon 800 Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM).
Related: Amazon Customers Could Receive $3 Refund On Select Kindle Books
Here’s where it gets interesting. BGR claims that the seven-inch HD model will feature a new design.
If true, it could mean that the leaked image is for the revision of the bare-bones Kindle Fire.
Image Source: EVLeaks
Amazon’s larger Kindle Fire HD will reportedly maintain its display size of 8.9 inches. The BGR report claims that the display resolution will come in at 2,560 x 1,600, but the Snapdragon 800 processor may be the same. That would be an odd choice for Amazon, considering it could deliver a more powerful device.
If there is one thing that could set the 8.9-inch model apart from the seven-inch model, it’s the camera. Amazon is reportedly planning to bring an 8MP rear camera to the larger tablet, along with a front-facing camera. The seven-inch model will only have the latter.
Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.
Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ
Posted-In: Amazon Apple BGR EVLeaks Google Kindle Fire Kindle Fire HD Microsoft Qualcomm Samsung Snapdragon 800 SonyNews Rumors Tech Best of Benzinga
