Amazon moving to the living room with set-top box

Updated
Amazon Moving To The Living Room With Set-Top Box
Amazon Moving To The Living Room With Set-Top Box



If you think you need more Amazon in your life, fear not. The online retail giant could soon play a vital role in your living room.

According to tech blog Re/code, Amazon's long-awaited set-top TV streaming box, set to be released this March, will take advantage of the site's instant video service.

The box, code-named "Cinnamon," would run a modified version of Google's Android operating system, similar to Amazon's Android-based Kindle e-reader.

Competing directly with Apple TV and streamer Roku, the box would take advantage of Amazon's recent foray into original programming. The site's instant video service has more than 150,000 selections which gives it a unique edge over the competition.

But insiders at CNBC are worried a possible price increase from $20 to $40 for Instant Video could squash enthusiasm for the device.

"If they do that it potentially makes their video offering a little less compelling, because you have to be a Prime member to see this stuff," CNBC reported. "So it'll be really interesting to see how they do that."

It's also possible Amazon's box will double as a gaming system. The retailer bought Double Helix Games in early February and posed an ad on LinkedIn for a graphics developer in January.

Amazon's already an industry leader in online retail and e-books, so could television and movies be on the way?

Security analyst Michael Pachter told The Wall Street Journal that the move isn't surprising.

"This fits into their vision of dominating the competition in every area," Pachter said.

Of course, this is all unofficial since, as usual, Amazon declined to comment.

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