Amazon usually keeps things secret until they launch, but it took a different tack today by pre-announcing a new content-delivery service it's adding to the menu of web services offered to developers.

It said the service will be available by the end of the year, but hasn't disclosed prices or many more specifics. Here are the announcements from Amazon's Werner Vogels and Jeff Barr.

Amazon's already delivering content itself, through its own services such as its music and video download stores and the Kindle.

It's whole web services business is basically renting out technology the company first developed for itself, so maybe it's not too suprising they'd find a way to share and monetize its content-delivery systems.

Analyst Dan Rayburn has insights into what it means for video distribution - basically Amazon won't stream video to start, only offer downloads, and won't offer the complex services available from major delivery companies, but it will appeal to customers "who have very commoditized requirements and typically buy solely on price, which is exactly the kind of business Amazon can win."

Om Malik said Amazon's simple API would put it ahead of other players and that, plus its pricing, could lead to a shakeout in the content-delivery market.

Will today's announcement create enough FUD to get that shakeout started, even though Amazon still hasn't disclosed prices or an exact launch date?