Amazon could launch 9in and 7in Kindle Fire tablets

ONLINE BOOKSELLER Amazon could be about to launch 9in and 7in versions of is Kindle Fire tablet.

According to All Things D, the firm will launch the two models in the middle of 2012. The web site referred to comments from Pacific Crest analyst Chad Bartley, who raised his Kindle Fire sales estimate because Amazon plans to launch new sizes of its device.

"We are raising our 2012 sales forecasts to 14.9 million from 12.7 million," he wrote. "But we believe there is an upward bias, particularly from the new 7- and 9-inch models, which we expect to launch in mid-2012."

Bartley also reduced his Kindle e-reader unit estimates to 24 million from 28.6 million, without giving a reason. However, if Amazon's tablets are similar in price to its e-reader, it's likely that people will choose them instead.

Either way, we're still waiting for Amazon's App Store here in Blighty, and until that happens, the Kindle Fire tablet isn't much good to us. µ