Amazon to Launch Tablet PCs By This Fall?

Amazon is slated to enter the tablet market with its own Android-based tablet PC as soon as August or September, reported Digitimes.com yesterday. The article reports that Taiwan-based component makers have said the online retail giant is targeting global sales of 4 million units in 2011.

"Amazon adopts processors developed by Texas Instruments, with Taiwan-based Wintek to supply touch panels, ILI Technology to supply LCD driver ICs and Quanta Computer responsible for assembly, the sources indicated," reported Digitimes. Monthly shipments are expected to be 700,000-800,000 units.

Amazon will provide streaming movie services for users of its tablet PCs, the sources in the article noted.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has recently expressed enthusiasm for tablets as important drivers for his company's new content offerings, such as streaming video and cloud-based music, according to eWeek.com.

eWeek reports Amazon.com would likely subsidize the price of a tablet to undercut other device makers and capture a significant share of the 2011 holiday market.