[llch]

An argument of why they won't buy webOS from HP -- IMO, Amazon shows its focus on recent launch. They didn't release an Android phone, but just an Android tablet to build their empire of content. Hence they don't need differentiations on hardware/OS level, instead they want a hardware/OS which they can: push their cost way down; cheap enough to get people on board; and sell their content.

[r00fus]

Not to mention, Microsoft and Oracle are busy strong-arming Android companies like Google and HTC to making Android not cheap.

WebOS may not be as widely deployed as Android, but it comes with a patent portfolio that may keep it cheaper than litigation/licenses.

[sliverstorm]

They may not care about what the user thinks of the OS, but if they do many of these devices, they are going to want a unified OS they control. They built a custom Linux for each Kindle, and now a heavily-modified Android? It's great stuff, but there's a lot to be saved if they can bring it all into the same code base.