Amazon has a wide array of devices ranging from Kindle readers, Fire tablets, and there’s plenty of talk surrounding a Kindle Fire smartphone coming soon too. This afternoon we’re learning that the company has been testing some unorthodox systems for wireless networks, running on spectrum from Globalstar, who isn’t your average cell network provider.
According to sources with Bloomberg Amazon has been doing a range of tests with Globalstars wireless network and spectrums, which unlike most devices from Verizon and others, uses satellites for internet service and data connectivity.
Amazon’s Lab126 research facility has reportedly been running a slew of these tests in California, and this could end up being an Amazon-only broadband service for their range of products. With Google’s new Nexus 7 already here, and an LTE model coming shortly, Amazon better have something in their sleeve now their Fire HD has been topped, and this could be it.
We saw big announcements in late September from Amazon last year, and we have a feeling they might be aiming for the same time frame this year as well. Lab 126 is where the Kindle engineers work, so this could be integrated in upcoming Kindles, as well as the Fire HD and their rumored smartphone. Being able to connect to wireless networks on an entirely different level could give them an advantage over the competition.
This would give all their devices more range and opportunity than a regular WiFi network, and also be an alternative to carrier-owned 3G and 4G LTE services. We could see free, or extremely cheap internet and data services arrive with all their Kindle devices later this year. Sounds nice right? We’ll update when we learn more.
VIA: VentureBeat
Mayor problem with sateilite driven network, you need big antennas.
Then the latency is god awful.
I don’t know, how data throughput is by now.