Amazon Kindle setting, digital content and VOD

Amazon released the results of its first quarter: although the group posted solid results, it also shows a slowdown in international growth.

Its sales in the first quarter 2013 was up 22% to 16.07 billion dollars, earnings per share were 0.18 dollar and fell 37% in the first quarter, from 82 million dollars against 130 million a year earlier.

 The growth of sales abroad slowed to 16% compared to the same period last year (then 31%). "This is certainly due to Europe, the UK and Germany is Amazon's main overseas markets," said Scott Tilghman, an analyst at B Riley & Co, according to comments reported by Reuters . Its gross margin rebounded to 26.6% in the first quarter, the highest level since at least decade.

Spending in "technology and content" jumped 46%. The group finance director, Thomas Szkutak, announced during a conference call with analysts that the axes of development focused on the Kindle range of tablets and digital content that are in the "Top 10" of the Amazon sales first quarter. China is also a major development in the corporate strategy.

Bloomberg's website announced that Amazon could launch a TVBOX next fall. The device connects directly to the TV and give access to the catalog of videos on demand and Amazon Instant Video service (for holders of a Premium account).

This new device, which would be developed by the division of Amazon Lab126 research would in fact compete with Apple and other players in the VOD market.