The new top of the range Kindle Fire device, introduced by CEO Jeff Bezos last week, has not been approved for sale by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), it has emerged.
FCC approval is required for wireless communications products, to assure that they operate safely and won't improperly interfere with other signals.
A pre-order confirmation email sent by Amazon for the $499 Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch 4G tablet included the following note: "We will send you an email asking you to confirm your pre-order of Kindle Fire when it is approved for sale by the Federal Communications Commission."
I can't think of an instance where a device has been offered by a US carrier without FCC approval.
Amazon is accepting pre-orders now and plans to ship the 4G devices on 20 November. A company spokeswoman said Amazon expects to receive FCC approval before November 20.
Attorneys and analysts familiar with FCC compliance procedures agreed that the FCC is unlikely to reject the Amazon devices out of hand, or prolong the approval process past its ship date.
But they say it's very unusual for a company to announce major new products without first getting the sign-off from the agency.
"I can't think of an instance where a device has been offered by a US carrier or an independent retailer that has not had FCC approval yet," said John Jackson, a wireless analyst at CCS Insight.
An FCC spokesman declined to comment.
The 4G Kindle Fire tablets are a crucial part of Amazon's attempt to challenge Apple's iPad at the premium end of the booming tablet market.
-
Trump's AI executive order could leave US in a 'regulatory vacuum'News Citing a "patchwork of 50 different regulatory regimes" and "ideological bias", President Trump wants rules to be set at a federal level
-
TPUs: Google's home advantageITPro Podcast How does TPU v7 stack up against Nvidia's latest chips – and can Google scale AI using only its own supply?
-
AWS targets cloud resilience and AI networking gains with new 'Fastnet' subsea cableNews Fastnet is set for deployment in 2028 and will link Maryland and County Cork with a line offering more than 320 terabits per second
-
Three and Ericsson just launched a first-of-its-kind managed 5G service for businessesNews The new 5G service looks to supercharge business connectivity across Ireland
-
AWS eyes ‘flexible’ data center expansion with $11bn Georgia investmentNews The hyperscaler says the infrastructure will power cloud computing and AI growth
-
AWS launches Australia's first local zone for low-latency workloads and data residencyNews The company is aiming to help customers who need infrastructure closer to their data sources or end-users
-
AWS plans to be 'water positive' by 2030News A number of projects will seek to improve groundwater replenishment, efficiency, and overall sustainability
-
Amazon signs launch deals with Arianespace, Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance for Project KuiperNews The retail giant has secured up to 83 rocket launches with the trio to deploy a bulk of its 3,262-satellite constellation
-
AWS to invest £1.8bn in UK data centres and other cloud infrastructureNews The cloud giant's investment will contribute to new data centres amid market growth across the country
-
Verizon and Amazon partner on enterprise connectivity solutionsNews The collaboration links Verizon’s terrestrial mobile network with Amazon’s LEO satellite network
