Amazon Kindle Fire 2 to take on Google Nexus 7 with improved display and thinner build

Amazon's next Kindle Fire will be much improved over its predecessor, claim sources in the know. Faced with new competition in the shape of the Google Nexus 7 - and, potentially, the much-touted mini iPad - the Kindle Fire 2 will feature a higher resolution display, slimmer and lighter build, and built-in camera.

Additionally, the same sources have told AllThingsDigital that Amazon's follow-up tablet device is definitely due in the third quarter of 2012 - in the US, at least. Previous reports suggested 31 July.

The site also reports that developers have already been approached by the online retail giant with hardware specifications, although many of those have yet to be leaked.

What has been mentioned, however, is that the new screen resolution will be 1280 x 800, a significant leap over the 1024 x 600 pixel resolution of the first Kindle. And tellingly, the new display will be the exact same resolution as the Nexus 7 Android tablet.

The new resolution will also mean that the display screen with change in aspect ration, from the WSVGA 1.71 (17:10) to 1.60 (16:10 - like many widescreen LCD computer displays). It will also be genuinely high definition this time around.

All that remains to be seen now is how much Amazon can make this new device for, and what it will retail at (possibly subsidised). The Google Nexus 7 will cost from £159 for the 8GB model, so the Kindle Fire 2 would have to be the same or undercut its closest rival.

Oh, and it'd be nice to find out when - and even if - it will be coming to the UK. Some believe it will be launched over here instead of the original Kindle Fire.

What do you think? Should Amazon release the Kindle Fire 2 in the UK? Would you buy one? Let us know in the comments below...