Well it looks like Amazon is on another push to grow as a company. They have already previously mentioned that they are betting a lot on switching to digital in the past. It’s very apparent first with their push on ebooks, the Kindle and the Kindle Fire.
Amazon is clearly not done with its expansion though and is just gearing up to do even more. From new employees to tablets and beyond – Amazon has quite a few changes in the near future up its sleeves.
Amazon’s Workforce
In a push to expand the workforce in its warehouses, Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos has made an interesting offer on Amazon’s front page today. He is committed to a huge recruitment drive. Not only are they trying to expand their work force but they are making a very nice incentive to current longstanding employees. They are offering up to $8,000 over four years for technical and vocational courses for full time employees who have been with the company for three years or longer. For new employees they are pointing out that its storage and distribution warehouses gain 30 percent more than retail store staff.
Amazon’s Tablets
According to the folks at Staples, Amazon is going to introduce five or six tablet SKU’s next season. While this will most likely include their e-reader line that would most likely translate into 2 e-reader setups. With and without ads. Followed by an upgrade to the current Kindle Fire. That would take care of 4 slots. If they have opened up 6 though would that mean a 10″ tablet is also on the way? Or could they be going beyond that and have 2 levels of 7″ and 10″ tablets coming out with different memory sizes while lowering the offerings of the Kindle e-readers?
Amazon’s strengthens its Media Exclusives
Also, according to Mashable, mixed in with all of the news above is that Amazon inked exclusive rights with Warner Brothers for online streaming rights for both The West Wing and Fringe. The deal also gives them the rights to stream Dark Blue, Alcatraz and The Whole Truth which they did not previously have access to. It still lags behind some of the lead that Netflix and Hulu Plus have though are steadily catching up.
Rumored Amazon Phone
Bloomberg talks about the Amazon Phone. They have “two people with knowledge of the matter” who have given them quite a few unofficial details. What does the rumor mill of one of the major business magazines online have to say? Well let’s break it down:
- The phone will use Android much like Amazon’s tablets and have its custom Amazon interface. Let’s hope it will be Ice Cream Sandwich at least.
- Foxconn, the company plagued by suicide rates, is working with Amazon on the device.
- Amazon is acquiring patents that cover wireless technology to defend against other sue-happy companies.
- The phone would be budget friendly as the Kindle Fire was to encourage use of its Marketplace for media consumption.
While right now there are no specs available, I’m sure it will follow the strategy of the Kindle Fire. The Amazon Phone will be released with an interface that is leaps and bounds beyond what the hardware should support, but works perfectly with it, allowing it to have a lower price point. It’s still too early to say if we’ll see it this year, but I would not be surprised if we see an Amazon Phone by this holiday season.
