Amazon is anticipating the launch of its updated Kindle Fire later this year as a defense to retain its second spot in the tablet market.

According to AllThingsD (quoting unnamed sources), Amazon is on an effort to fight off Apple’s iPad and Google’s new 7-inch Nexus 7 tablet in the market by doing a lot of much-needed enhancements to its tablet.

If reports from the unnamed sources serve true, the redesigned Amazon Kindle Fire will probably have a built-in front-facing camera similar to Google’s Nexus 7, an improved processor and graphics display, and a thinner and lighter profile. It is set to arrive during the third quarter; the same time in which gossips have been going on around that Apple will also be releasing its iPad Mini.

The current Kindle Fire only contains a screen display resolution of 1024-by-600 pixels and is likely to increase with a 1280-by-800-pixel screen similar to the Nexus 7, giving a display density of 216 pixels per inch (ppi) to provide a clearer view on photos and sharper text. This means that the screen will soon after have a somewhat dissimilar aspect ratio, which will be from 1.71 to 1.60.

Kindle Fire. Image: Courtney Boyd Myers via Flickr (CC)

When the original Kindle Fire was yet under development, Amazon chose “off the shelf” as its hardware, having a similarly strong visual feature found in Research In Motion’s Blackberry PlayBook.

Several reports have stated that Apple will rather not be releasing its reduced iPad later this year, in contrast to scuttlebutts going around. But given the rumors are true, Amazon will have to take in a lot of effort in keeping the Fire lit, and has to add more if the iPad Mini price will compete closely with the $200 Kindle Fire/Nexus 7 ceiling.

When it comes to display technology and battery life, the new iPad (third-generation) is very far ahead from its competitors. It will be a fascinating thing to witness how the iPad Mini will compete with its 7-inch rival tablets, taking into account its times-two starting price.

However, if iPad had to step down with its price and size, it would also have to hold back on its specifications. That is, a Retina Display feature in an iPad Mini would be improbable. Moreover, dual cameras to which competitors acquire would also be taken out, except if a marginal price increase of about $250 is considered to compensate the cost of the given significant features, as Apple currently vends the entry-level iPod Touch at $199.

About Francis Rey Balolong

A coffee junkie who spends most of his time writing about the latest news on social media and mobile technology. I would definitely consider myself a nerd (in the coolest most hipster way possible). That being said, I love technology, music, writing, and all things mobile. Follow me: Google+ Twitter

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