First Singapore, then Vietnam, now Indonesia. Amazon continues its move into SE Asia. But once again it seems books and ebooks are no longer part of Amazon’s global ambitions.
Amazon moving into new markets is a given nowadays, but it’s been a long time since the world’s biggest online bookstore actually made a move in the global book markets.
The last Amazon ebook store to open, Kindle Netherlands, will be celebrating its fourth birthday in November, and apart from some indications of ebook interest in the Arab arena, which may or may not materialise into a Kindle store –
Is Amazon preparing a Kindle Arabia launch at the Sharjah Int. Book Fair later this year?
Amazon’s international reach-outs have been AWS-focussed –
or concerned with third part sellers, as in Vietnam –
As Amazon prepares for its Vietnam launch, books and ebooks aren’t on the table
while Amazon Singapore is little more than a local Prime store.
Likewise the rumoured Scandinavian plans –
Evidence mounts for an Amazon Sweden launch this year, but no sign publishers need worry yet
carry no suggestion the publishing sector is being considered for the Amazon treatment.
Then this week came a rumour Amazon was in talks with the Indonesia government for an entry into SE Asia’s largest economy. The only surprise there is that it has taken so long.
Today comes a fleeting statement from Indonesia’s Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati:
Amazon met with (Indonesian President) Joko Widodo both in Hanoi (Vietnam) and again today and conveyed its interest in Indonesia.
According to Reuters, Amazon’s cloud computing arm Amazon Web Services plans to invest 14 trillion rupiah ($944 million) in Indonesia during the next 10 years.
During that time it’s entirely possible, and here at TNPS we fervently hope, Amazon will revive its stated goal,
to have every book, ever published, in any language available for Kindle customers to purchase and begin reading in less than 60 seconds.
But don’t hold your breath waiting.
