Despite coverage suggesting the contrary when iPad was unveiled, there's been little evidence to suggest the rise of the tablet has damaged eReader sales.

Indeed, if anything, the launch of an app store on Barnes & Noble's Nook Color suggests there's more chance of consumers heading the other way – a trend DigiTimes reports Amazon is looking to exploit.

eReading the market

The site reports Amazon is preparing to launch an unnamed tablet in Q3 2011, tying in with previous rumours pointing towards the release of an LCD Android device this August.

However, the headline news is that the company is preparing between 1 million and 1.2 million units for the tablet's debut quarter.

"Among orders from non-iPad vendors, those from Amazon are said to be the most positive, with demand for touch panels likely to reach two million units for the August-September period," DigiTimes states, citing an unnamed industry source.

It's not known what form the device will take, though the suggestion is it will more closely resembled the Nook Color, rather than iPad.

DigiTimes adds that, as a whole, shipments of non-iPad tablets are likely to rise from 3-3.5 million units in Q2 2011 to 7-7.2 million in the following quarter, whilte Apple will take orders of 14-15 million iPad 2 manufacturer Foxconn across the same period.

[source: DigiTimes]