Amazon's Kindle Fire to go on sale in Europe

Amazon's Kindle Fire is to go on sale in Europe for the first time later this year, the company announced Thursday, as it unveiled new versions of the tablet computer.

The seven-inch Kindle Fire color tablet, which according to Amazon has captured 22 percent of the US market, will go on sale in Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain this year, Kindle vice president Davie Limp said.

The expansion will include the newly announced Kindle Fire HD version, although not the bigger-screened 8.9-inch version, he said, adding that Amazon wanted to expand the device into other markets over time.

"We're going to be bringing Kindle Fire to Europe. Starting this fall we'll be adding the seven-inch .. to the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain," he said.

Asked about selling the Kindle Fire—which has become a key competitor to Apple's iPad in the United States since going on sale late last year—in Asia or elsewhere, he said there was "nothing to announce" on that.

"We want to get into as many places as we possibly can over time," he added after Amazon chief Jeff Bezos unveiled the new Kindle Fire models at a press conference in Santa Monica, California.

(c) 2012 AFP