The encyclopedia · Product & Design · Product decision · 2007–2010
Amazon's Kindle paid for wireless itself, so books download in under a minute
Kindle launched at $399 with Whispernet on Sprint's EV-DO network, Amazon absorbing the data bills so buying a book needs no computer, Wi-Fi or plan.
Amazon
The solution
E-readers before the Kindle forced users to find Wi-Fi, plug into a computer and manage syncing — the friction of downloading, not reading, was the real problem. Amazon's top design goal, said Jeff Bezos, was that the device 'disappear in your hands'.
Kindle launched November 19, 2007 at $399 with Amazon Whispernet, a service on the same nationwide EV-DO network as advanced cell phones. Amazon paid for the wireless connectivity — 'no monthly wireless bills, data plans, or service commitments' — so customers shopped the store from the device and got books in under 60 seconds with no PC at all.
The store opened with more than 90,000 books, including 101 of 112 current New York Times bestsellers at $9.99, plus newspapers, magazines and blogs delivered automatically overnight. Amazon backed up every purchase online, making the library portable even if the device was lost.
Why it worked
- Amazon absorbed the cellular bill, removing buyer friction
- No PC or Wi-Fi meant the store was always one tap away
- $9.99 bestsellers set a price anchor for digital books
- Wireless push made subscriptions a habit rather than a chore
What can be applied
Removing the customer's connectivity friction can be worth more than the data cost: subsidize the network, not just the hardware, when always-on access is the product.
Aftermath
Kindle made e-books mainstream and seeded Amazon's digital-content business; later models added Wi-Fi and free cellular connectivity remained on flagship devices. Amazon went on to dominate e-readers and built Prime Reading, Audible and Kindle Direct Publishing on the same device-first base.
Sources
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