Amazon's rumoured set-top box for HD television sets will be available to buy before Christmas, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday.
The device, which has been the subject of speculation for most of this year, would likely provide competition to the Apple TV set-top box, as well as the lesser-used Google TV platform and other connected television services.
It is reasonable to assume that any box from Amazon would serve up games and applications from the Android Appstore, its MP3 store, the usual video streaming platforms, as well as the Amazon Prime service that recently began offering original shows.
The WSJ doesn't have any details on name, specs or prices, but it seems fair to assume that the Kindle TV name would be older consideration. Given Amazon's recent pricing history, it's also unlikely that the box will break the bank.
In recent years, with Amazon's Kindle readers and Kindle Fire tablets, the company has taken huge hits on hardware in order to get the devices into the hands of users who then gorge on digital content from the Kindle Store, App Store and Amazon Prime video.
Having a set-top box connected straight to television sets would really give Amazon the opportunity to push the merits of its Instant Video service, which offers thousands of TV shows and movies to subscribers to the free, fast home delivery service. It also offers thousands more to rent or buy.
It would also surely integrated the Amazon Cloud locker service, giving users instant access to uploaded photos as well as content purchased through its digital platforms on a range of devices.
Amazon is thought to be on the verge of launching a trio of new Kindle Fire tablets for the holiday season. Should that be the case, it's likely that the set-top box would share the same billing, so watch this space.
Would you be in the market for an Amazon set-top box? Could it compete with Apple TV? Might Amazon be bold enough to price the device somewhere in the region of Sky's £10 Now TV box? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Via The Verge
