It seems the Kindle is growing—and not just in popularity. The New York Times recently blurted out some news, lending credence to long-circulated rumors of Amazon Kindle’s next major move. Sometime soon, Kindle will unveil a new large version of its reading device in a marketing move that is aimed to boost appeal for newspaper and periodical reading.

(Credit: New York Times)

The downtrodden print industry would be thankful. As newspapers and magazines bite the dust on a daily basis, publishers are wondering what the future holds. Amazon isn’t wondering. They’re doing. And what they’re doing is going to get a lot more attention. The move could be a veritable rescue plan for a newspaper industry that is quickly becoming superannuated.  

But how does a passé newspaper industry, fraught with budget deficits, a shrinking readership, and writers-turned bloggers, adopt a strategy that gets Kindle subscriptions? No one is quite sure. No one, that is, except the New York Times. Their inside information on the Kindle Big may just be the hint that they are on Kindles preferred vendor list. No doubt that would be a win-win situation for New York Times and Amazon. As to how the little guy is going to get in on the action—that may prove to be the newest challenge for their marketing department.

But before the chicken-counting begins, we must wait and see how the big screen Kindle will be received, and what challenges it will face. Challenge number one could be the cost. Why would someone by a $300 newspaper, plus pay monthly subscription costs? Can Kindle jump the financial hurdle? There is also the outdated challenge. Black and white print gets old really fast. Even print newspapers have colored pictures. The Kindle has no color. That could be a non-start for anyone who would rather whip out their smartphone to check the news headlines—and watch a color video or two. And, as always, Apple lurks in the background, amidst the whispers of the nobody-knows-quite-what-it-is device that is rumored to be coming out next.

Will Kindle’s growth in size give them a growth spurt in popularity? Only Times will tell—the New York Times, that is. 

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