Internet retail giant Amazon is gearing up to expand its tablet lineup with the addition of five to six new slate devices, an executive at retailer Staples, which sells the Kindle Fire, has revealed.
The new Amazon tablets will come in a range of sizes, including a 10-inch model, Reuters reported on Monday, citing Demos Parneros, president of U.S. retail for Staples, as well as other analysts, developers, and retail partners. Amazon, the world's largest Internet retailer, is reportedly looking to broaden its mobile device offerings beyond its existing e-readers and the Kindle Fire tablet to help the company sell more digital goods like MP3s, movies, TV shows, and apps.
An Amazon spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the company's rumored plans.
While Amazon is said to be prepping several new tablets, that doesn't necessarily mean each device will be a completely different product, SlashGear pointed out. The retailer could, for example, launch 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB versions of a 10-inch Kindle Fire. It could also launch some Wi-Fi-only models and others with the option of WiFi + 3G/4G.
Amazon currently offers just one tablet — the Kindle Fire, which boasts a 7-inch color touch screen, 8GB of internal storage, but no 3G/4G cellular data connection or built-in camera. Rumors that Amazon is looking to update its tablet offerings began cropping up months ago.
The company is said to be readying a thinner, lighter Kindle Fire 2 that will have a built-in camera, similar to its Google rival, the Nexus 7. Other persistent rumors indicate that a 10-inch version of the Kindle is on tap to better compete with Apple's iPad.
Meanwhile, Amazon today announced plans for a new digital media development center in London, which will focus on the creation of new digital services for TVs, game consoles, smartphones, and PCs.