Amazon To Hold Press Conference In Santa Monica On Sept. 6

Amazon PR has just sent out invites for a press conference next month in Santa Monica. Historically, the online retailer has held press conferences in New York for various Kindle-related launches. The event will take place at Barker Hangar, a 35,000 square foot venue that claims to be the largest stage on the Westside. Could the shift in locale and time zone signal a change in topic away from the Kindle? It’s unclear but we’ll find out in a couple of weeks.

Amazon is widely expected to launch new Kindle ereaders and the successor to the Kindle Fire. The new ereaders are likely going to be front-lit, a feature we spied in person back in April. Amazon will likely launch a new Kindle Fire at the event, too.

The Kindle Fire has been Amazon’s top-selling item since it’s late 2011 launch. But since then, new players have hit the scene including the more capable Google Nexus 7 which is available for the same price as the Kindle Fire. The Apple rumor mill also states that a new, lower-priced iPad mini could launch yet this year, providing even more competition for Amazon.

At this point, if Amazon is to get ahead of Google and Apple, the new Kindle Fires would need something special — and perhaps the location of the press conference hints that Amazon is teaming up with Hollywood.