Credit: Shutterstock photoAmazon ( AMZN ) has the most successful dedicated e-reader platform in the Kindle - but it isn't taking any chances in the e-book market.
This week, the online retailer announced that a Kindle app would be made available for Google 's Android smartphone operating system. Android was the last major smartphone OS to receive a Kindle app; as PC World reports, though, the Android version is unique in that it doesn't require users to download e-books through their browser.
With Android sales taking off - devices using the OS outsold Apple ( AAPL ) iPhones in the first quarter - Amazon is smart to target the Android market. But the company isn't abandoning the e-reader space.
Amazon is expected to unveil a new iteration of the Kindle in the coming months - one that should keep it competitive with Apple's iPad tablet. While the iPad is a multimedia device and the Kindle is solely for reading, that may not hinder its sales growth: The Boston Consulting Group reported this week that a majority of people who are aware of tablets want to buy one in the next few years.
By Benjamin Foster
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
